Prejudice Reduction and Social Change

Abstract

Abstract Recent theorizing suggests that intergroup relations may be construed in terms of either efforts to achieve prejudice reduction and intergroup harmony, or to achieve social change to promote intergroup equality. Coverage of these topics are often framed as if these goals are inherently in opposition to each other. Instead, we contend that promoting prejudice reduction at the relational level, and social change toward equality at the societal level, may be regarded as dual goals to be pursued in tandem, rather than necessarily being regarded as goals in conflict. With this lens, we review a number of theoretical perspectives on prejudice reduction and social change, including literature on intergroup contact, common group identities, and social norms. We conclude with suggestions for integrative research that can fill gaps in the existing literature, and we discuss implications of such work for interventions that seek to reduce prejudice and promote greater social equality.