Keeping group identities salient during intergroup encounters can foster generalized trust

Evidence

Although it may be impossible to short-circuit the categorization process in a way that affords generalizability to the group as a whole, a second strategy, reflected in Hewstone and Brown’s (1986) Mutual Intergroup Differentiation Model, suggests that it may be possible to change the tone of the original categorical scheme from mutually threatening to trustful. According to this perspective, intergroup biases can be reduced by encouraging groups to emphasize their mutual distinctiveness, for example by highlighting the different and potentially complementary skills and resources Categorization, Recategorization, and Intergroup Bias 77 of the groups (e. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 560

Categorization

• XREF: Contrasts with the decategorization approach in the same chapter, and echoes romantic-era cultural pluralism ideas where difference itself is celebrated. — connects to: Shared identity generates expectations of support and trust among group members — John Drury, The role of social identity processes…, 16; Intergroup warmth is a hypothesized mechanism for the negational identity effect — Chen-Bo Zhong, Adam D. Galinsky, and Miguel M. Unzueta, Negational racial identity and…, 27
• SEED: Article angle: the counterintuitive finding that keeping category boundaries visible (rather than erasing them) is what lets positive contact generalize — a lesson for diversity training design.