A social psychology of national and international group relations

This concluding article provides a framework for a social psychological ana lysis of intergroup conflict and conflict resolution. The framework highlig hts the individual and intergroup factors that shape the nature of percepti ons of intergroup relations and group representations, and describes how th ese perceptions lend to cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses towa rd groups. Included in the framework are the metatheoretical, theoretical, and practical contributions of the articles in this issue toward understand ing intergroup relations. The potential and responsibility of social psycho logists to move beyond the laboratory to applied national and international issues is also discussed.