Assignment 2: LASA 2 Reducing Intergroup Conflict

Research suggests a number of strategies to reduce intergroup conflict. To further explore these strategies, in addition to readings in your text, read the following article paying particular attention to pages 588 to 593. Hewstone, M., Rubin, M., & Willis, H. (2002). Intergroup bias. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 575-604.

You are a counselor in a detention center for delinquent adolescent boys. Your current project is to devise a way to reduce intergroup conflict that has been escalating between the boys at the center, many of whom were active in local gangs.

• • Discuss in detail the concepts that lead to the intergroup conflict, such as stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. How have these attitudes and behaviors created and perpetuated the ongoing conflict?

• • Discuss the different strategies to reduce intergroup conflict found in your text and the Hewstone article.

• • Looking back at the course discuss 2 to 3 additional concepts that could be applied in helping a person overcome these negative attitudes and behaviors.

• Keeping these strategies and concepts in mind, what activities and/or programs can you create that will help these boys overcome this conflict and learn to work together, respect each other, and come to see each other’s differences as valuable. Briefly summarize each program/strategy in 2 to 3 sentences each in preparation for part 2 of this project.

Answer the above points in a 3- to 4-page paper. Your paper should be double-spaced, typed in 12-point Times New Roman font with normal one-inch margins, written in APA style, and free of typographical and grammatical errors. It should include a title page with a running head, an abstract, and a reference page.

Part 2:

Create a 4- to 8-slide PowerPoint presentation (not including title and reference slides) to present to the board of directors for the detention center that will cover the following:

• • A detailed outline of each of the 3 to 4 programs/strategies that you would like to put into place at the center.

• Discuss for each program/strategy why you believe it will be effective within the context of your detention center.