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Cooperative Interaction in Desegregated Settings: A Laboratory Analogue
Author(s) -
Miller Norman,
Brewer Marilynn B.,
Edwards Keith
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.618
H-Index - 122
eISSN - 1540-4560
pISSN - 0022-4537
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4560.1985.tb01129.x
Subject(s) - categorization , generalization , psychological intervention , interpersonal communication , psychology , outgroup , task (project management) , social psychology , interpersonal relationship , prosocial behavior , interpersonal interaction , social relation , computer science , epistemology , artificial intelligence , management , psychiatry , economics , philosophy
Several cooperative heterogeneous team‐learning interventions have been developed to promote improved intergroup relations in desegregated school settings. Despite their positive effects, little or no evidence demonstrates any generalization to new children or to children outside the classroom setting. Furthermore, social‐categorization theory suggests that some procedural aspects of these interventions interfere with these intended benefits. Data from an experimental laboratory paradigm structurally paralleling these small‐group cooperative‐learning interventions, and testing hypotheses derived from social‐categorization theory show that a generalized increase in outgroup acceptance will be produced by (a) an interpersonal as opposed to a task orientation toward team members, and (b) the assignment of persons to teams on the basis of their unique personal attributes rather than attributes that explicitly exemplify their category.