Perceptions of group climate by social identity group in intergroup dialogue.

Abstract

This study examined how individuals from social identity groups with differing levels of societal power and privilege perceived the group climate of five intergroup dialogue groups at a large university. Over the course of seven weeks, dialogue participants from social identity groups who are the targets of societal oppression (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people; people of color; women) perceived significant increases in engagement within the group climate, and significant decreases in conflict. However, dialogue participants from agent social identity groups (e.g., heterosexual people, White people, men) did not perceive any significant changes in engagement or conflict over the course of the groups. Neither those from the target social identity groups, nor those from agent social identity groups perceived significant changes in levels of avoidance over time. These findings are discussed in relation to a four-stage, critical-dialogic model of intergroup dialogue.