The Psychology Of Social Conflict And Aggression

This book provides an up-to-date integration of some of the most recent developments in social psychological research on social conflict and aggression, one of the most perennial and puzzling topics in all of psychology. It offers an informative, scholarly yet readable overview of recent advances in research on the nature, antecedents, management, and consequences of interpersonal and intergroup conflict and aggression. The chapters share a broad integrative orientation, and argue that human conflict is best understood through the careful analysis of the cognitive, affective, and motivational processes of those involved in conflict situations, supplemented by a broadly-based understanding of the evolutionary, biological, as well as the social and cultural contexts within which social conflict occurs.

The area of intergroup relations and social conflict has once again become a major focus of social psychological theorizing and research. One of the consequences of this advance in knowledge is that social psychologists have increasingly been called upon to apply their ideas in order to advise on existing conflicts. The significant contribution of this book is the way it builds on the research and theory of intergroup conflict and then applies this knowledge to the field. The areas discussed include industrial conflicts, interethnic conflicts and intergroup conflicts. The chapters range from reports of experimental laboratory research, through field studies, to theoretical-conceptual contributions. The new advances offered by this broad spectrum of topics will be of interest not only to social psychologists, but also to sociologists and political scientists.

This book examines conflict as a normal and recurrent feature of primate social life, emphasizing that the study of aggression and social conflict is important to understanding the basic processes that contribute to social order. The authors go well beyond the usual view which tends to equate social conflict with fights over food, mates, or social supremacy, and analyze the diverse manifestations and significance of conflict in a variety of case studies. Contributors are scientists with field and laboratory experience in anthropology, behavioral endocrinology, ethology, and psychology. Utilizing the growing body of research on life-span development in primatology, the authors offer more extensive analyses of the complexity of primate social relationships.

This book provides a framework that sheds an illuminating light into the psyche of people involved in macro-level destructive intergroup conflicts, involving societies and ethnic groups, that take place continuously in various parts of the globe. It focuses on the socio-psychological repertoire that evolves in these societies or groups and which plays a determinative role in its dynamics. Specifically, this repertoire influences the nature of social reality about the conflict that society members construct, the involvement with and mobilization of society members for the conflict, the sense of solidarity and unity they experience, the conformity expected from society members, the pressure exerted on leaders, and the direction of action taken by the leadership. In addition, the book describes the changes in the socio-psychological repertoire that are necessary to ignite the peace process. Finally, it elaborates on the nature and the processes of peace building, including conflict resolution and reconciliation. The proposed conception assumes that although each conflict has its unique context and characteristics, the socio-psychological foundations and dynamics are similar. It offers a holistic and comprehensive outlook on the dynamics that characterize each stage and aspect of intractable conflicts. Each chapter systematically elucidates a particular part of the cycle, describing the theoretical frameworks and concepts, as well as presenting empirical data that was accumulated. The volume is an important contribution for all those who study intergroup conflicts and want to understand their dynamics. In addition, the book will interest the many people attempting to settle conflicts peacefully and who need knowledge about the socio-psychological vectors that influence their course and resolution.

Derived from a meeting of natural and social scientists, this interdisciplinary book aims to summarize the main issues regarding the problem of human aggression, as well as human beliefs about the subject. This study brings together internationally known authorities and presents their recent contributions which range in complexity from the physiological to individual aggression, group conflict and international war. The study concludes with a multi-level approach to the problems of aggression and war. In nontechnical language suitable for general science readers, the book provides a valuable framework for the development of ideas and new attitudes in a field rife with misconceptions.