Reducing Intergroup Conflict - Essay Example

REDUCING INTERGROUP CONFLICT Intergroup conflict results when members of a group develop hostility towards one another. This kind of hostility is mostly prevalent in groups of juvenile and adolescent deliquescent within a correction center or a detention yard. In the case where the members are former gang members, the conflict tends to be even more prevalent and a little bit harder to contain. In that regard, it is the responsibility of the counselor and other psychology partners to develop and implement succinct intergroup conflict management strategies. For the above case where members in a detention center are former members of several violent gangs, it is notable that the members have one thing in common. Firstly, they are part of the group at the center, in the fact that they share similar characteristics that precipitated their detention. Secondly, apart from being members of one large group at the center, the members have affiliations to their smaller groups, the individual gangs to which they formerly belonged. These two perspectives lead to the differences that finally precipitate numerous instances of intergroup conflicts within the detention center. It is significant to note that there are several elements that contribute to the development of intergroup conflicts. These include concepts such as prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. In this regard, stereotype can be described as a generalized belief concerning members of a given group. This concept is mostly applied in detention centers where members of the whole group are treated as criminals who pose a great danger to anyone else. Furthermore, there is a general assumption that the members are equally violent towards each other. However, it is important to note that such a case of generalization is not effective in a detention center for adolescents since not all of them may be harboring violent tendencies towards each other. In the case of adolescents, the counselor should be aware that not all members of the whole group at the detention center are violent and rogue by nature. The fact that they belonged to violent gangs before being brought o to the center should be enough reason to treat all members’ criminals. It is true that some of the members may not be ready to correct themselves, and they view their stay at the facility as a mere form of punishment. Thus, such members are at the facility just because they were caught and not because they desire to correct their wayward behaviors. On the other hand, there are members who are ready and willing to learn from their mistakes and the subsequent punishment. They desire to quit their former cause and get assimilated back into the society. Thus, stereotyping such members and treating them as diehard criminals may be very de-motivating and lead to the development of unwary tendencies among such members. Prejudice results when a generalized attitude is formed regarding members of one social group. This mostly arises when the members are associated with negative perceptions because they belonged to individual gangs. When it comes to discrimination, it entails the kind of behavior directed towards members on the basis of their former group memberships. Entirely these conceptions play fundamental roles in the development of intergroup conflicts (Kenrick, Neuberg, & Cialdini, 2010). For the adolescents at the detention center, it is plausible that the members encounter intergroup conflicts arising from the psychological trauma that they experience due to the behavior of the people within the center. Due to the negative perceptions directed towards the members due to their memberships to former gangs and their current membership to a group in detention, the members encounter biases and stereotypes that inculcate negative feelings in their character. As a result, the members are likely to start reacting in a fierce manner to everyone. Thus, it is the duty of the counselor to discern the main reason for the adolescents’ weird behavior. Moreover, the counselor should develop the necessary strategies that could assist in bringing the situation under control (Kenrick, Neuberg, & Cialdini, 2010). Some of the measures of combating intergroup conflicts as proposed by social scientists and educators include the following: Creation of opportunities for social contacts among members of the conflicting groups Dissemination of correct information in order to break unfavorable stereotypes and false prejudices Making appeals for the moral ideas of fairness and brotherhood among the members. Introduction of rigorous physical activity in order to release the pent-up anger and frustrations in the unconscious mind of the adolescents A comprehensive understanding of group effectiveness should take into account the context and causes that exacerbate and lower tension among the group members and between the members as a group and the other workers within the detention center. Furthermore, the counselor must be aware of the individual psychological mechanisms that may be involved. This could include discerning the former behavior of the adolescents before joining their former gangs and the circumstances that precipitated their choice for such way of life. It is through such an approach that a counselor can be able to differentiate between the members who are willing to correct their wayward behaviors and those who are not ready for change. That way, it would be easier to eliminate instances of prejudice and reduce the general stereotyping that treats all members as adept criminals. It is important to note that competition for positive social identities between members who view the detention as a way of punishment can allow intergroup biases and hostilities to flourish (Hewstone, Rubin, & Willis, 2002). The best strategy to address intergroup conflict in such a detention facility should be a two-pronged approach. Firstly, it is important to form a group-based approach where the whole group is treated as one and the strategies adopted should involve solving the common problems that afflict everyone within the group. In this regard, there should be generalized approaches such as participation in physical activities and other measures that create strong links of brotherhood among the adolescents. The perception that all members are faced with a common scenario, and the fact that all members have been brought to the center due to similar circumstances is helpful in intergroup conflict. Thus it is highly likely that the members will view each other as brothers and sisters, and hence minimize instances of intergroup conflict. The next approach should involve and individual-based approach where the counselor addresses the psychological needs of the members one at a time. Since many intergroup hostilities and biases are founded in individual psychological processes, such as egocentrism and categorization, individual-based approaches that attempt to address the tensions that build these biases will be effective in addressing intergroup conflict. References Hewstone, M., Rubin, M., & Willis, H. (2002). Intergroup bias. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 575-604. Kenrick, D., Neuberg, s., & Cialdini, R., (2010).Social Psychology goals in Interactions 5th ed. New York: Pearson Read More