The Individual ↔ Context Nexus in Developmental Intergroup Theory: Within and Beyond the Ivory Tower

Abstract

Each individual’s personal experiences—and the developmental environments that individuals create for others’ personal experiences—are profoundly affected by membership in, and attitudes toward, social groups. Although social groups may offer supports to their members and though members may contribute to groups’ collective good, social-group divisions also create occasions for stereotyping and prejudice. This article reviews developmental intergroup theory (Bigler & Liben, 2006) that argues for the emergence of stereotyping and prejudice through the relational interplay of constructive and contextual processes. The theory is then discussed in the domain of gender by describing first, illustrative laboratory and field research on gender stereotypes and biases, and second, implications for gender-segregated (single-sex) educational programs.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This article is based on a keynote address delivered at the 8^th biennial meeting of the Society for the Study of Human Development, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, November 3, 2013. I appreciate the helpful comments of Rebecca Bigler and Willis Overton on an earlier draft of this article, although neither should be held accountable for its final form.