Building trust between groups

Ingroup policing can help groups cooperate and avoid cycles of violence

Last week’s edition discussed how lack of trust between groups can cause conflict and how costly signals of trustworthiness can build trust. But how can groups send such signals? One way is ingroup policing. Ingroup policing is when culprits are identified and punished by their own group. It is effective at preventing group conflict because the ingroup is better able to identify the correct culprits and ingroup punishments do not spark reprisals. This research suggests that peaceful relations between groups are often maintained by social institutions that aid cooperation and prevent cycles of violence.

Intergroup contact can improve intergroup relations by creating more tolerant norms

Another method of improving trust between group members is intergroup contact, bringing together people from the conflicting groups to work towards joint goals. Numerous studies demonstrate that such contact improves attitudes of the individuals who directly participate in contact interventions, but can it affect other members of the group? A recent study showed that a culture of intergroup contact can create tolerant norms and that those norms affect all group members, even those who don’t have direct experience with outgroup members. This research suggests that intergroup contact can create norms that sustain intergroup peace and cooperation.

Do you have a study we should share for a future Facty Friday? Send an email to drg.el@usaid.gov!”