Felt understanding in intergroup relations

Livingstone, Andrew

doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101587

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The strong effect of the 'reflecting back' procedure on intergroup felt understanding is consistent with previous research suggesting high-quality listening is the key to fostering perceived responsiveness (Itzchakov et al, 2022). This procedure was expected to be effective for felt understanding because the reflected back summaries provided direct evidence for participants as to whether their interaction partners had understood participants' initially disclosed perspective (Livingstone, 2023;Livingstone, Fernández Rodríguez, et al, 2020). Importantly, 'reflecting back' is not only about summarising what has been understood, but doing so in an accurate and non-judgemental manner, which echoes the features of high-quality listening.…”

Section: Intergroup Felt Understandingsupporting

confidence: 81%

Testing a method for generating intergroup felt understanding through structured communication

Du,

Livingstone,

Adlam

2024

Preprint

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Social connection and integration between international students and ‘home’ students is a major challenge that has implications for student experience and wellbeing, among other things. Following growing evidence of the importance of felt understanding in improving relations between groups on the one hand, and predicting better wellbeing on the other, we tested a structured communication procedure aimed at fostering felt understanding in intergroup communication between international students and UK students (total N = 175). Online communication between international and UK students was structured to involve a ‘reflecting back’ step in which participants not only disclose to others, but then share back what they understood from an interaction partner’s disclosure. Then, participants responded to three sets of measures: intergroup relational outcomes (e.g., intergroup anxiety), identification and process variables (e.g., life meaning), and wellbeing (e.g., life satisfaction). Results showed that ‘reflecting back’ (vs. control condition) effectively generated intergroup felt understanding, which in turn predicted better intergroup relational outcomes and wellbeing. The findings contribute to the integration of perceived responsiveness in interpersonal relationships and intergroup contact literature.

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Section: Intergroup Felt Understandingsupporting

confidence: 81%

Testing a method for generating intergroup felt understanding through structured communication

Du,

Livingstone,

Adlam

2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…We define felt understanding in intergroup terms as the perception that members of an outgroup understand and accept the perspectives of ingroup members, including “our” beliefs, values, experiences, intentions, and identity (Livingstone, 2023; Livingstone, Fernández Rodríguez, & Rothers, 2020). We thus feel understood when outgroup members “get” our perspectives and why we hold them and view these perspectives in a nonjudgmental manner.…”

Section: Defining Felt Understandingmentioning

confidence: 99%

You get us, so you like us: Feeling understood by an outgroup predicts more positive intergroup relations via perceived positive regard.

Livingstone,

Bedford,

Afyouni

et al. 2024

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

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Intergroup felt understanding—the belief that outgroup members understand and accept ingroup perspectives—has been found to predict positive intergroup outcomes, but the mechanism through which it has its positive effects is unclear. Across eight studies, we tested the hypothesis that felt positive regard—the perception that outgroup members like and respect ingroup members—mediates the positive effects of felt understanding on outcomes like outgroup trust. Studies 1–6 (total N = 1,366) included cross-sectional and experimental designs and a range of intergroup settings such as Sunni–Shia relations in Lebanon, gender relations, and support for “Brexit” in the United Kingdom. Results of meta-analytic structural equation models across these studies provided evidence of the indirect effect of felt understanding via felt positive regard on outcomes including trust and positive relational emotions. Study 7 (N = 307) then tested the causal effect of felt positive regard through a direct manipulation. Findings confirmed that felt positive (vs. negative) regard did lead to more positive intergroup perceptions. Finally, Study 8 (N = 410) tested the indirect effect as a within-person change process using a year-long, two-wave study of the conflict in Chile between Indigenous Mapuche and Non-Indigenous Chileans: Change over time in felt understanding indirectly predicted change over time in trust via change in felt positive regard. We consider the theoretical implications of the findings for how intergroup relations may be improved and the possibilities presented by felt understanding for intervention development.

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“…to understand about one's perspectives, rather than the ability to give those perspectives per se (Livingstone, 2023).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

How Feeling Understood Predicts Trust and Willingness to Forgive in the Midst of Violent Intergroup Conflict: Longitudinal Evidence From Ukraine

Brik

Livingstone

Chayinska

et al. 2023

Social Psychological and Personality Science

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How can intergroup trust and forgiveness be fostered in the face of violent, large-scale intergroup conflict? We addressed this challenge by testing the role of intergroup felt understanding—the extent to which outgroup members are perceived to understand ingroup perspectives—in predicting Ukrainian nationals’ inclinations to trust and forgive Russians for the conflict that has affected Ukraine since 2014. We did so using representative longitudinal data ( N = 743; three time points) collected 6 months before Russia’s full-scale invasion. Pre-registered analysis of dynamic mediation models confirmed that increases over time in felt understanding predicted increases over time in perceived positive regard, which in turn predicted increased outgroup trust and forgiveness over time. A mini-multiverse analysis indicated that this pattern was also largely robust to varying time point specifications. The findings provide further evidence that the feeling of being understood may be a key psychological factor that enables reconciliation.

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Felt understanding in intergroup relations

Cited by 8 publications

References 45 publications

Testing a method for generating intergroup felt understanding through structured communication

Testing a method for generating intergroup felt understanding through structured communication

You get us, so you like us: Feeling understood by an outgroup predicts more positive intergroup relations via perceived positive regard.

How Feeling Understood Predicts Trust and Willingness to Forgive in the Midst of Violent Intergroup Conflict: Longitudinal Evidence From Ukraine

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