Some psychological obstacles to an understanding between nations.

Abstract

Unconscious nationalism is analyzed to point out the inevitable difficulties for an understanding between nations. Each nation has a tendency to regard its own habits, ways of thought and living, and values and institutions not only as its own but also as a kind of norm which unconsciously underlies the judgment of everything foreign. Each nation rationalizes its real motives when they do not correspond with its own moral standards, and finds it much easier to see through the prejudices of others than its own. Each nation's concept of every other nation is always more or less distorted because it is the result of emotions and prejudices as much as of objective experience. Even if these difficulties cannot be completely removed, it is essential to recognize that they exist and must be taken into account in all inter-nation plans and action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)