Intergrup

Intergrup relations (often written intergroup in English) refer to the interactions, attitudes, and processes that occur between distinct social groups within a society. The term is used across sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science to examine how group identities—such as ethnicity, nationality, religion, language, or social status—shape perceptions, behavior, and outcomes for both in-group and out-group members.

Key phenomena include intergroup bias, stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, conflicts, and cooperation. The dominant theoretical frameworks describe how group identities influence behavior: Social Identity Theory posits that people seek positive distinctiveness through in-group favoring and out-group differentiation; Realistic Conflict Theory emphasizes competition over scarce resources as a driver of hostility. The Contact Hypothesis suggests that under favorable conditions—equal status, common goals, supervision, and extended interaction—intergroup contact can reduce prejudice. Extensions highlight the role of norms, media, power, and institutional contexts in shaping outcomes.

Methods range from surveys and behavioral experiments to longitudinal studies and cross-cultural comparisons; tools include attitude scales and implicit measures such as the Implicit Association Test. Intergrup research informs policies on education, urban integration, workplace diversity, and peacebuilding. Critics caution against overgeneralizing laboratory findings, emphasize cultural specificity, and note that successful integration requires structural changes and sustained, context-sensitive interventions.