Intergroup Conflict, Prejudice, and Discrimination in the US
This paper examines intergroup conflict, prejudice, and discrimination in the United States across racial, ethnic, political, and social lines. Drawing on psychological research, it analyzes how anxiety between groups, nostalgia-driven political attitudes, and social categorization contribute to division. The paper surveys key theoretical frameworks — including social contact theory, self-categorization theory, and the intergroup contact model — and explores how cross-group friendship, empathy, recategorization, and citizen assemblies can reduce prejudice. Case studies from healthcare, education, LGBTQ rights, and electoral politics illustrate the real-world consequences of intergroup tension and point toward practical, evidence-based strategies for building a more cohesive society.
- Introduction: Scope of US discrimination across race and politics
- Anxiety, Cross-Group Friendship, and Intergroup Contact: Cross-group friendship reduces intergroup anxiety
- Nostalgia, Political Identity, and Racial Prejudice: Nostalgia fuels racial prejudice and political division
- Theories and Conditions for Reducing Intergroup Conflict: Social contact theory and conditions for harmony
- Intergroup Conflict in Health, Politics, and Social Life: Conflict in healthcare, LGBTQ issues, and voting
- Conclusion: Social contact can reduce intergroup division
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper integrates multiple empirical sources — including longitudinal studies and survey data — to ground its claims about prejudice and discrimination in concrete evidence rather than assertion alone.
- It moves logically from diagnosis (sources of intergroup tension) to prescription (theoretical and practical solutions), giving the argument a clear cause-and-effect structure.
- The discussion covers a range of social domains — race, politics, healthcare, education, and LGBTQ identity — demonstrating that intergroup conflict is a systemic, cross-cutting issue rather than an isolated one.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper effectively synthesizes multiple theoretical frameworks — social contact theory, self-categorization theory, and the intergroup contact model — by applying each to specific real-world contexts. Rather than describing theories in the abstract, the author connects each framework to observable phenomena such as voting behavior, healthcare disparities, and online discrimination, showing how psychological theory translates into social policy recommendations.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with national survey data to establish the scope of discrimination, then moves into a sustained analytical section that alternates between theoretical explanation and applied example. Sections progress from the psychological roots of anxiety and nostalgia, through formal theories of intergroup contact, to domain-specific applications in healthcare and politics. A brief conclusion synthesizes the argument. The references section cites five peer-reviewed and journalistic sources in APA format.
Introduction
Discrimination among groups in the United States cuts across different spheres such as race, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, gender, and political affiliation. However, some groups are impacted more by these conflicts than others. According to Daniller (2021), most Americans are convinced that Black, Asian, and Hispanic people face discrimination. Eighty percent of Americans believe Black people are discriminated against, 70 percent see it happening to Asian Americans, and 76 percent to Hispanic Americans. This discrimination exists in political, medical, educational, and social environments. Daniller (2021) adds that Republicans and Democrats share similar sentiments — that the degree of discrimination and intergroup conflict is high in the United States. These findings guide the themes of this paper, which examines intergroup conflicts, discrimination, and prejudice in the United States and explores multiple approaches for addressing these challenges through the lens of psychological theory.
Anxiety, Cross-Group Friendship, and Intergroup Contact
When a group views another as an outgroup, members feel separated. According to Page-Gould et al. (2008, p. 1080), intense anxiety arises between groups that hold or express varying opinions or cultural practices. This exists because people often fail to appreciate others' uniqueness and react negatively to difference. In response, the authors explain the significance of cross-group friendship in minimizing the anxiety prevalent in intergroup settings. They argue that while relationships between varying social groups are often characterized by anxiety, when diverse groups engage in cross-group friendship, statistics indicate improved attitudes, which translate into better intergroup contact. For instance, longitudinal research described by the authors found that college students who exhibited intergroup differences showed a significant reduction in anxiety levels by the end of their college years. For racial groups in the United States, appreciating cultural differences is a key step toward reducing hatred and discrimination.
Nostalgia, Political Identity, and Racial Prejudice
Some racial groupings in the United States are informed by historical narratives that promote the idea that immigrants and perceived outgroups have diminished the lives of native-born citizens, and that only political change can restore what has been lost — a sentiment rooted in nostalgia. According to Behler et al. (2021), nostalgia within American society is closely linked to self-continuity and social connectedness, and is often associated with inter- and intrapersonal benefits. However, it also shapes how intergroup interactions form, exposes population differences, and influences political attitudes. Survey data from the 2016 election involving 252 participants indicated that nostalgia profiles both attitudes and emotions: high nostalgia was associated with admiration for President Trump and with greater racial prejudice. These effects were mediated by perceived threats emanating from outgroups.
Interestingly, the research revealed that many voters who had previously supported President Obama went on to support Trump — despite his racial rhetoric — largely because of a desire to return to past experiences. Behler et al. (2021) argue that the slogan "Make America Great Again" was fueled by racialism, prejudice, and discrimination, and that many White voters viewed it as an opportunity to restore what they believed had been lost. The effect was powerful enough that survey data showed many voters remained willing to support Trump even in the face of potential economic threats. These divisions were both racial and political. While the ideological differences between Republicans and Democrats contributed to broader social fragmentation, Trump's racialized political messaging united groups who believed racial integration had harmed their communities — intensifying intergroup conflict, discrimination, and prejudice.
Conclusion
Intergroup conflicts, discrimination, and prejudice are real threats to the unity of the United States. However, through the various theories examined in this paper — particularly social contact theory — these differences can be reduced, working toward a more cohesive society that embraces both individual and group diversity.
References
Behler, A. M. C., Cairo, A., Green, J. D., & Hall, C. (2021, April 14). Making America Great Again? National nostalgia's effect on outgroup perceptions. Frontiers. Retrieved March 26, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.555667/full
Dovidio, J. F., Love, A., Schellhaas, F. M., & Hewstone, M. (2017). Reducing intergroup bias through intergroup contact: Twenty years of progress and future directions. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 20(5), 606–620.
McCammon, S. (2019, April 5). Can we come together? How Americans are trying to talk across the divide. NPR. Retrieved March 26, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/2019/04/04/709924342/can-we-come-together-how-americans-are-trying-to-talk-across-the-divide
Page-Gould, E., Mendoza-Denton, R., & Tropp, L. R. (2008). With a little help from my cross-group friend: Reducing anxiety in intergroup contexts through cross-group friendship. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(5), 1080–1094. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.95.5.1080
Paolini, S., Harwood, J., & Rubin, M. (2010). Negative intergroup contact makes group memberships salient: Explaining why intergroup conflict endures. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(12), 1723–1738.
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