A social neuroscience approach to intergroup perception and evaluation

Social cognitive neuroscience offers the promise of understanding human sociality by investigating the affective and cognitive operations of the human brain. This approach has already provided evidence of the automaticity of intergroup perception and evaluation, and illuminated how complex interactions between multiple neural component processes guide behavior. This article highlights the rapidity with which individuals distinguish different groups, their ability to do so without conscious awareness, and how these initial judgments may be modified by motives or goals. Ultimately, insights from social cognitive neuroscience will enhance our understanding of intergroup processing and lead to interventions that will reduce intergroup conflict.