Research summary
Intergroup attitudes—how people think and feel about their own and others’ social groups—influence health, education, justice and social cohesion in Canada. As Canada Research Chair in Intergroup Attitudes, Dr. Katherine Ratliff is investigating how institutional and public policies shape these attitudes, potentially heightening or reducing conflict between different groups.
Their work assumes that laws and policies signal who and what a society values, affecting how people perceive and feel about different groups. Ratliff and her research team are creating a responsive database to track Canadians’ public policy views and intergroup attitudes. They are also developing a new theoretical model to explain when, why and how policy changes lead to shifts in social attitudes. This work will provide tools and evidence to inform policy-makers, journalists and educators, ultimately supporting more equitable and inclusive policy decisions.