Work

Perceiving the World Through Group-Colored Glasses: A Perceptual Model of Intergroup Relations

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Extensive research has investigated societal and behavioral consequences of social group affiliation and identification but has been relatively silent on the role of perception in intergroup relations. We propose the perceptual model of intergroup relations to conceptualize how intergroup relations are grounded in perception. We review the growing literature on how intergroup dynamics shape perception across different sensory modalities and argue that these perceptual processes mediate intergroup relations. The model provides a starting point for social psychologists to study perception as a function of social group dynamics and for perception researchers to consider social influences. We highlight several gaps in the literature and outline areas for future research. Uncovering the role of perception in intergroup relations offers novel insights into the construction of shared reality and may help devise new and unique interventions targeted at the perceptual level.

Source: Psychological Inquiry

DOI: 10.1080/1047840x.2016.1199221

Authors: Y. Jenny Xiao, Géraldine Coppin, Jay J. Van Bavel

Institutions: New York University, Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research

Language: English

Topic: Social and Intergroup Psychology

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, York University, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

Awards: G2338155370, Social Identity and Person Perception, G6259641061, A taste for calories: Does flavor nutrient conditioning operate differently in obese individuals?