Ingroup-Outgroup Trust: Barriers, Benefits, and Bridges

Social scientists have long recognized the role that trust plays in shaping the course of intergroup relations. However, little attention has been afforded to explicating the foundations of trust in intergroup contexts. A primary aim of the present chapter is to review and assess the scholarly literature on trust as it pertains to, and might inform our understanding of, how intergroup relations manifest themselves. In particular, this chapter focuses on several fundamental questions regarding trust in intergroup contexts. First, how should trust be conceptualized in the context of ingroup-outgroup relations? Second, what are some of the barriers to the development of trust between groups? Third, what are the benefits of such trust? Finally, how might these barriers be overcome, especially in situations where a climate of distrust and suspicion already prevails?