Social cohesion

• Psychology can offer important insights about psychological factors that underpin social conflict and the most effective ways to bring people together to maximise positive relationships and productive outcomes.
• These insights include approaches to resolving conflicts, and forms of governance that prioritise co-operation over coercion.
• Drawing on psychological science, we can help people to understand why social cohesion is important, to see how their own behaviour can threaten social cohesion, and how they can play a part in solutions. Psychology can offer hope and generate optimism. It can also speed social change to promote and maintain social cohesion.
• Five key tips from psychology to promote social cohesion are:
  • Understand what factors promote social cohesion and why it breaks down
  • Strengthen people’s identities
  • Focus on community strengths instead of punitive measures
  • Provide safe ways to express conflict
  • Promote cultural competence
• Any strategy to effectively promote social cohesion requires long-term vision, planning and leadership.

The APS has been involved in many issues relating to social cohesion over the last couple of decades. These issues include:

• Multiculturalism and citizenship
• Racism
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• Violence
• Representations of ethic groups in the media

Work has included writing position papers, review papers, submissions, information sheets, and convening roundtables.

Of particular note, In 2016, the APS President convened a roundtable on social cohesion in a multicultural society as part of his Presidential Initiative for that year.

The roundtable brought key experts together to identify how psychology can contribute to promoting social cohesion in a multicultural society.

The roundtable made recommendations including:

• Convening a psychologist-led reference group to oversee and guide ongoing work related to social cohesion
• Developing a set of multimedia resources and guidelines that can be used by psychologists as well as the public in schools, communities, and with policy makers and the media
• Developing training and workshops on the topic for psychologists and other professions and community leaders that include skill development on how to talk with others about social cohesion
• Conducting advocacy work
• Generating media (APS releases and statements) which challenge misinformation and promote social cohesion and diversity.