The Social Psychology of Intergroup Toleration

Abstract

The global increase in cultural and religious diversity has led to calls for toleration of group differences to achieve intergroup harmony. Although much social-psychological research has examined the nature of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination, and its impact on targets of these biases, little research has examined the nature and impact of toleration for intergroup relations. Toleration does not require that people give up their objections to out-group norms and practices but rather mutual accommodation. Integrating research from various social sciences, we explore the nature of intergroup tolerance including its three components-objection, acceptance, and rejection-while drawing out its implications for future social-psychological research. We then explore some psychological consequences to social groups that are the object of toleration. By doing so, we consider the complex ways in which intergroup tolerance impacts both majority and minority groups and the dynamic interplay of both in pluralistic societies.

Toleration and prejudice‐reduction: Two ways of improving intergroup relations

“…Therefore, some critics argue that tolerance functions as a subtle social mechanism contributing to domination and inequality (Insel, ; Marcuse, ), and to the depoliticization of diversity by reducing structural disadvantages to cultural group frictions (Brown, ). The theoretical implication is that tolerance should not only be studied in terms of meaningful differences in moral values and beliefs, as we have done here, but also in terms of intergroup processes, as we have discussed more fully elsewhere (Verkuyten & Yogeeswaran, ). For example, the notion of tolerance is not only useful to argue for the acceptance of minority group practices and beliefs, but also for construing an ingroup‐favoring moral distinction between “us” and “them”.…”

Muslims’ tolerance towards outgroups: Longitudinal evidence for the role of respect

“…Mutual tolerance is therefore vital for the functioning of open, plural societies encompassing many different social, ethnic, cultural, or religious groups (Popper, ; Rawls, ; Scanlon, ). However, as noted by Verkuyten and Yogeeswaran (), tolerance has received astonishingly little systematic attention in social psychological research, despite its importance as a pressing social issue.…”

“…First, disapproval serves as a definitional condition, because it makes little sense to say we tolerate someone or something that we already approve of. This insight has previously been formulated by political scientists (Gibson, Duch, & Tedin, , p. 338; Sullivan, Piereson, & Marcus, ) as well as political philosophers (Forst, ; Scanlon, ), but is now also increasingly shared by social psychologists (Klein & Zick, ; Verkuyten & Yogeeswaran, ). Second, the model specifies respect for others as the critical process component that operates as a counterweight to the disapproval of others’ beliefs, preferences, or practices (Forst, ).…”

Young Children’s Ability to Recognize and Challenge Unfair Treatment of Others in Group Contexts

“…Developmental theories of social identity [Abrams & Rutland, 2008;Nesdale, 2008;Nesdale et al, 2005;Verkuyten & Yogeeswaran, 2017] have demonstrated age-related changes regarding group identity, group norms, and group dynamics. This work has provided a basis for examining intergroup attitudes in morally relevant contexts using the SRD model.…”

“…In particular, considerations regarding the treatment of others with respect to their group membership explicitly or implicitly factor into moral decisions across the life span. Humans are members of many social groups, including families and friendship networks as well as broad affiliations like gender and ethnicity [Verkuyten & Yogeeswaran, 2017]. This means that it is necessary to understand not only how individuals reason about concepts such as equality, but also what they think about others in terms of their group identity and psychological states.…”