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In keeping with our Center's mission to increase our understanding of the causes and consequences of intergroup conflict, we have begun to develop a research methodology to collect quantitative data on mental representations and prejudice. This research is an effort to examine our theoretical notions concerning the ways in which long-held beliefs about differences between “us” and “them” contribute to ongoing intergroup prejudice and alienation. We are also using this methodology to try to determine whether our own efforts at ethnic conflict resolution are effective in reducing intergroup tension. We are seeking to generate new knowledge and understanding by submitting our theoretical notions to empirical measurement.
In beginning to construct a methodology to study the experience and evolution of ethnic conflict, dehumanization, and prejudice within and between groups, I first reviewed the social, political, and clinical psychology literatures to find measurement instruments that have been employed by previous researchers. Although problems of racism and ethnic intolerance have plagued us for a long time, psychoanalytically sophisticated, reliable and valid measures of prejudice and ethnic conflict have not been developed. We therefore constructed our own methodology to examine these concepts. Thus far we have applied our methodology to a project that we are carrying out in Estonia.
As you probably know, Estonia is one of the Baltic nations that, along with Latvia and Lithuania, gained freedom from the Soviet Union in 1991. Although there has not been outright war, ethnic conflict between Estonians and ethnic Russians has been evident. One example of this conflict is manifest in the imposition of language requirements for attaining Estonian citizenship. Many ethnic Russians who were born in Estonia and have never left Estonia are denied Estonian citizenship due to their inability to pass the language exam.
In our project, our multidisciplinary teams have been working