ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the effectiveness of theoretically based strategies to reduce intergroup conflicts, and the rather problematic relation between theoretical viewpoints and the applied social psychology of intergroup relations. It focuses on assimilation and pluralism, and makes a plea for the development of a more realistic and less pretentious program of research and application, in which the authors do not try to change deeply ingrained prejudices and behavior all at the same time, but aim instead to modify behavior toward a level of mutual tolerance. The chapter presents a fruitful integration of social identity theory and attribution theory. It provides a substantial contribution to and refinement of social categorization theory. Van Knippenberg has creatively worked out the strategies group members may resort to in their search for a positive social identity. He discusses the link between some socio-structural variables and strategies of identity management.
