Return to Robbers Cave: Co-existence between Groups in Conflict

本项目评估一项独特方案的影响，该方案旨在促进目前卷入激烈和持久冲突的民族和族裔群体之间的和平共处。这项研究的目的之一是建立一个发展模型，说明随着时间的推移，对自我、内部群体和外部群体的看法的变化是如何与改善群体间关系相关的。与会者包括来自中东和塞浦路斯等几个紧张地区的成年领导人和青少年男女（13-16岁）。参加者将在缅因州的一个夏令营“和平种子”国际夏令营度过三个星期。夏令营项目包括旨在加强小组成员之间的合作平等地位联系，促进信息交流，教授沟通和共存技能的活动。自1993年成立以来，已有1400多人从该营地“毕业”。尽管该项目在国内和国际上受到了极大的关注，但还没有对其影响进行研究。营地参与者的认知和行为变化将与未参加营地的个体组成的对照组进行比较。将收集具有应用和理论重要性的各种维度的数据。这些数据包括自尊、自我认同、内群体和外群体的刻板印象、群体同质性和威胁的感知以及不同群体成员之间的行为。研究结果将解决三个问题：1)营地经历对营地不同群体之间的关系产生积极影响的程度；2)夏令营中发生的认知和行为的变化是否会推广到以营员为代表的更大群体；3)这些变化在较长时间（20-24个月）内持续的程度。该项目为检验和扩展群体间关系理论提供了一个特殊的机会。评估方案所采用的措施是基于现有的社会心理学理论和研究。研究结果将表明，群体间接触对群体间吸引力的影响将持续很长时间。还将研究有关冲突强度如何影响群体间接触影响的假设。该设计允许比较接触对自我、内部群体和外部群体感知的影响。刻板印象的几个组成部分（能力、热情、突出性和同质性）将被测量并与改善群体间关系有关。诸如重新分类和交叉分类之类的基本过程将从响应中推断出来。这项研究意义重大，因为它采用了基于理论的措施来检验一个旨在解决关键社会问题的项目。该研究项目也代表了学术机构和私人非营利组织之间的合作努力。

This project evaluates the impact of a unique program aimed at promoting peaceful co-existence between national and ethnic groups currently involved in intense and protracted conflict. One aim of the research is to develop a developmental model of how changes in perceptions of the self, ingroup, and outgroups relate to improving intergroup relations over time. Participants include adult leaders and adolescent males and females (ages 13-16) from several regions of tension including the Middle East and Cyprus. Participants spend three weeks at the Seeds of Peace International Camp, in a summer camp in Maine. The camp program includes activities designed to enhance cooperative equal status contact between group members, promote the exchange of information, and teach skills of communication and co-existence. Since its inception in 1993, over 1400 individuals have "graduated" from the camp. Although the program has received significant national and international attention, there has been no study of its impact. Changes in the cognition and behaviors of camp participants will be compared with a Control Group composed of individuals who do not attend the camp. Data will be collected on a variety of dimensions that have both applied and theoretical importance. These data include self-esteem, self-identity, stereotypes of ingroup and outgroups, perceptions of group homogeneity and threat, and behaviors between members of the different groups. The results of the study will address three issues: 1) The degree to which the camp experience has a positive effect on the relationship between the different groups at the camp; 2) Whether changes in the perceptions and behaviors that occur at camp generalize to the larger groups represented by the campers; and 3) The extent to which these changes endure over an extended time period (20-24 months). The project represents a special opportunity to test and extend theories of intergroup relations. The measures employed to evaluate the program are based on existing social psychological theories and research. The results will indicate the longevity of the effects of intergroup contact on intergroup attraction. Hypotheses relating to how intensity of conflict affects the influence of intergroup contact will also be examined. The design allows a comparison of the effects of contact on perceptions of the self, the ingroup, and outgroups. Several components of stereotypes (competence, warmth, salience, and homogeneity) will be measured and related to improving intergroup relations. Underlying processes such as recategorization and cross-categorization will be inferred from responses. The research is significant because it employs theoretically-based measures to examine a program that is designed to address a critical social problem. The research program also represents a cooperative effort between an academic institution and private nonprofit organization.