The Social Psychology of Tolerance

This highly topical book is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive theoretical and empirical discussion of the social psychology of tolerance, exploring the importance and drawbacks of a focus on tolerance and discussing how tolerance can be stimulated in a range of contexts. The importance of tolerance for a diverse, equal, and open society is increasingly recognized by social and behavioural scientists. When people are aware of salient differences and disagree about the value of various viewpoints and ways of life, the question of tolerance arises. Not only in relation to religious, cultural, ideological, and viewpoint differences but also concerning everyday things such as annoying habits of one’s partner, the views and behaviour of one’s children, disagreements at work, and neighbourhood hassles. Verkuyten uses concrete examples to discuss the various reasons for why tolerance is vital for peaceful communities, especially in our increasingly diverse and polarized world. Providing a thorough examination of the social psychology of tolerance, this is a valuable text not only to social psychologists but to a range of students and scholars in the social and behavioural sciences more broadly. This highly topical book is the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive theoretical and empirical discussion of the social psychology of tolerance, exploring the importance and drawbacks of a focus on tolerance and discussing how tolerance can be stimulated in a range of contexts. The importance of tolerance for a diverse, equal, and open society is increasingly recognised by social and behavioural scientists. When people are aware of salient differences and disagree about the value of various viewpoints and ways of life, the question of tolerance arises. Not only in relation to religious, cultural, ideological, and viewpoint differences but also concerning everyday things such as annoying habits of one’s partner, the views and behaviour of one’s children, disagreements at work, and neighbourhood hassles. Verkuyten uses concrete examples to discuss the various reasons for why tolerance is vital for peaceful communities, especially in our increasingly diverse and polarised world. Providing a thorough examination of the social psychology of tolerance, this is a valuable text not only to social psychologists but also to a range of students and scholars in the social and behavioural sciences more broadly. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series 3 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgements 9 1 Introduction: Diversity and tolerance 12 Tolerance as a buzzword 14 Drawbacks of becoming a popular notion 16 Psychology of tolerance 19 Our research 21 Describing and explaining 24 Blaming and truth 25 An outline 28 2 Why tolerance matters 31 Why we need tolerance 34 Beliefs, morality, and diversity 37 Criticising tolerance 39 To conclude 45 3 The meaning of tolerance 47 Two key meanings of tolerance 49 Tolerance as forbearance 54 The meaning of intolerance 57 The object of tolerance 58 Dimensions of tolerance 61 Power relations 63 4 Tolerance and prejudice 70 Criticism and antisemitism 70 Prejudice 73 Critical inclusiveness 80 Prejudices and principles 84 Internal reasons 92 5 Practicing tolerance 94 An asymmetry 95 Pragmatic and principled reasons 97 The tolerance process 99 Deliberating about disapproved of conduct 100 Reasons behind dissenting conduct 109 Group identity and tolerance 111 Group identification and tolerance 116 To conclude 118 6 The boundaries of tolerance 120 Justified intolerance 122 Harm and rights 123 Cultural continuity 133 Reciprocity and democratic order 138 Discourses of tolerance 142 7 A slippery slope, threats, and changes 148 Individual differences 148 Situational conditions 150 Slippery slope belief 152 Threats and tolerance 154 Minority identity enactment 155 Power threat 157 Dual citizenship 163 Adjustment and change 165 Cultural differences 167 8 Being tolerated 170 Beyond mere tolerance 173 To be tolerated 175 Awareness and understanding of being tolerated 177 Experiences of being tolerated 178 Being tolerated and social identity needs 181 Outcomes of being tolerated 183 Further experimental tests 189 Tolerance from the target’s perspective 191 9 The indispensability of tolerance 194 Three considerations 195 Is tolerance enough? 199 Tolerance as an intermediate step 201 What can be done? 203 A final word 209 References 211 Index 258 Tolerance;,social,psychology;,diversity;,diversity;,prejudice;,discrimination;,political,psychology;,intolerance;,beliefs;,opinions;,moral,values;,identity;,threatl;,social,change;,social,action;,justice;,multiculturalism;,equality;,tension Tolerance,social psychology,diversity,diversity,prejudice,discrimination,political psychology,intolerance,beliefs,opinions,moral values,identity,threatl,social change,social action,justice,multiculturalism,equality,tension * Considers the various potential directions future social psychological research may take in relation to tolerance, collective action, a prejudice reduction * Discusses the importance of tolerance in relation to ideological and political differences, cultural group differences, contested moral issues, and academic debates * Part of the highly prestigious European Monographs in Social Psychology book series