Indirect Reciprocity for Mitigating Intergroup Hostility: A Vignette Experiment and an Agent-based Model on Intergroup Relations between Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese

• DOI: 10.1177/0022002720962209
• Date: 01 February 2021
• Published date: 01 February 2021
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Indirect Reciprocity

for Mitigating Intergroup

Hostility: A Vignette

Experiment and an

Agent-based Model on Intergroup

Relations between Mainland

Chinese and Taiwanese

Yen-Sheng Chiang

1

Abstract

Social scientists have proposed myriad solutions for mitigating intergroup conflicts.

While the literature, such as studies on intergroup contact theory, focuses on

intergroup relations, we argue that it is important not to ignore intragroup relations

that may benefit or undermine the improvement of intergroup relations at the same

time. In this paper, we investigate a typology of eight mechanisms for the behavior of

intergroup and intragroup relations. Specifically, we focused on interactions in a

triad consisting of an actor paired up with two alters—one ingroup and one

outgroup. The triadic network enabled us to theorize and test how intergroup and

intragroup relations coevolve. We conducted a vignette experiment to test the

intergroup relationship between mainland Chinese and Taiwanese. We found

strong evidence for one mechanism for improving intergroup hostility: indirect

reciprocity—people rewarded the outgroup for behaving friendly to their ingroup

1

Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C

Corresponding Author:

Yen-Sheng Chiang, Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, 128 Sec. 2 Academia Rd., Nankang,

Taipei 11529, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Email: yensheng.c@gmail.com

Journal of Conflict Resolution

2021, Vol. 65(2-3) 403-426

ªThe Author(s) 2020

Article reuse guidelines:

sagepub.com/journals-permissions

DOI: 10.1177/0022002720962209

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peers. Using agent-based simulation, we predicted that the triadic effect found in the

one-shot experiment can continuously improve and stabilize intergroup relations

over time.

Keywords

intergroup conflict, intragroup relation, triad, indirect reciprocity, construal-level

theory, vignette experiment, agent-based model

Introduction

Intergroup tensions, ranging from prejudice and discrimination to hostility and

conflicts, are ubiquitous in human society, not only in the modern era, but also in

ancient times. While natural scientists provide an evolutionary explanation for the

human nature of ingroup favoritism and outgroup rejection (Bernhard, Fischbacher,

and Fehr 2006; Bowles 2009; De Dreu et al. 2010), social scientists and policy

makers search for measures to promote intergroup peace (Fisher 1983; Pettigrew

1998; Bar-Tal 2000). This endeavor is important, considering increasing intergroup

tensions and hostilities spread throughout the world along ethnic and religious group

boundaries over the past decade. So how can intergroup hostility be reduced?

Scientists have proposed a plethora of solutions for mitigating intergroup hostility

that draw on biological (Marsh et al. 2017), psychological (Bar-Tal 2000) and

sociological (Stovel and Shaw 2012) perspectives. One solution, originating from

social psychological research, argues that increased cross-group contacts help

reduce prejudices against the outgroup (Allport 1954; Pe ttigrew 1998). Decades

of empirical research, summarized in meta-study reviews, have rendered support

for this theory (Pettigrew and Tropp 2006, 2013). In addition to its practical value,

the intergroup contact theory makes two theoretical contributions. First, it shows that

intergroup relations are time-dependent. That is, an encounter at one time could

positively influence the formation of relationship at a later time. Second, the theory

suggests that intergroup relations are structure-dependent: The formation of a rela-

tionship is built on the foundation of two prior relationships (one intergroup and one

intragroup). Structural dependence suggests that it is important we study dyadic

relations as part of a broader re lational structure, such as t riads (Simmel 1950;

Krackhardt and Kilduff 2002), as intergroup relation scholars have recently argued

(Wo¨lfer and Hewstone 2017; Zagefka 2019).

Despite its useful contributions, a limitation of contact theory is that it empha-

sizes intergroup relations, but pays little attention to the fact that intergroup and

intragroup relations are mutually dependent (Brown and Pehrson 2019). Imagine

that two groups are in rival states. An individual’s contact with the outgroup, though

turning out to be positive, could elicit disagreement or even attacks from his/her

404 Journal of Conflict Resolution 65(2-3)