Dealing with intergroup conflicts in organizations: a challenge to the right of diversity

Abstract

Any group’s search for a positive social identity will rely on group positive distinctiveness in comparison with significant outgroups. Turner and Brown (1978) have shown, in an intergroup setting, that high status groups presented a higher pattern of positive differentiation than low status groups. In this paper I will appraise how the identity and diversity dimensions of social interaction are being used in social psychological research on intergroup conflict, whether it be in organizational or in broader social settings.