Relational Origins of Prejudice: A Convergence of Psychoanalytic and Social Cognitive Perspectives

A relational model orients us to the important relationship between an individual and the ingroup. An optimal balance between autonomy and attachment is crucial in early life and when the individual is forming relationships with large groups. In development, extremes indicate pathology. Prejudice is an outcome of an extreme attachment to the large group, called an overidentification. This can be a compensation for developmental difficulties, or shaped by environmental threats. Together, psychoanalysis and social psychology enhance our understanding about prejudice.