The Washington Post quoted Patrick Grzanka, assistant professor of psychology, in a story exploring the changing ethnic and racial diversity in the United States.
A wrong perception of others can lead to misunderstanding and hostility, said Grzanka, who studies social inequality. Some of it is simple psychology. People know their own lives are complex and have many explanations for what they do, he said. But people then reduce “outside groups” to a cardboard caricature – and a negative one at that. In the wake of the election, he continued, the depth of misunderstanding creates “a profoundly important moment. It is really dangerous.” To cross the barrier, he said, people must say “I need to learn why their version of America is so terrifying to me.” Read the story online.