ETHNOCENTRISM, GROUP COHESION, AND CONSTITUENT PRESSURE ON NEGOTIATORS IN INTERGROUP CONFLICT

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among ethnocentrism, group cohesion, and constituent pressure in either competitive or collaborative directions within the context of a complex simulation of intergroup conflict. The simulation elicited both a value and an economic conflict over scarce resources and their development in which pairs of groups negotiated through representatives to reach a settlement. The results from 32 four‐person groups of college males were based on self‐report questionnaires and behavioral codings from videotapes of the simulation sessions. With the questionnaire data, ethnocentrism, group cohesion, and constituent pressure were significantly related at three different measurement points and when averaged over the entire simulation. Behavioral ratings of ethnocentrism were positively correlated with behavioral measures of constituent pressure to compete and negatively with pressure to collaborate. These results provide empirical support for the effects of cohesion and ethnocentrism on conflict management behavior in line with realistic group conflict theory.

Citation

Kinzel, R. and Fisher, R.J. (1993), "ETHNOCENTRISM, GROUP COHESION, AND CONSTITUENT PRESSURE ON NEGOTIATORS IN INTERGROUP CONFLICT", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 323-336. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb022731