INTERVENE · Contextualizing psychological intergroup interventions to remedy intergroup relations

Tensions and conflicts between groups, ranging from prejudice toward minority groups and polarized political climates, to devastating wars, are pressing global problems. Thus, there is a wide need for evidence-based approaches to improve intergroup relations. As part of this global effort, social scientists have been developing and assessing psychological intergroup interventions, achieving huge theoretical and methodological advancements. Nevertheless, a comprehensive theoretical modelling and assessment of how contexts impact conflict-related individual-level psychological variables, and in turn, how this shapes the effectiveness of interventions across the different contexts, is yet to be established; currently, limiting the effectiveness and durability of applied interventions. The proposed research aims to (1) develop a comprehensive theoretical framework for the impact of the contexts of intergroup conflicts on individual-level intergroup-related psychological variables, using a large-scale multi-cultural global study; (2) compare data-driven approaches to identify specific psychological variables (e.g., attitudes, perceived norms) the interventions should target; (3) assess the effectiveness of interventions across contexts in online studies; and (4) as real-world interventions in large-scale and longitudinal field studies. The proposed project breaks new ground as it will offer vital theoretical and methodological contributions. It will increase our understanding of the contextual impact on individual-level psychological variables, and correspondingly on interventions, a largely theoretical argument that have not been examined comprehensively and on a large scale. Methodologically, the proposed project will provide social scientists and practitioners a much sought after applied framework for the development of more effective, theory- and data-driven interventions to remedy prejudiced, polarized, and violent intergroup relations.