Implicit theories and conflict resolution.

Prejudice is at the root of many intractable conflicts. Whether prejudice was born out of the dispute or existed before and contributed to the dispute, exaggerated beliefs about the character and motives of the other party often make reconciliation extremely difficult to achieve. In this chapter, we argue that this relationship between prejudice and intractable conflicts may have its roots in people’s theories about the malleability of human qualities. In our work, we have identified two theories that people can hold about the nature of human qualities. Those who hold an “entity theory ” believe that human qualities—such as goodness or intelligence—are fixed. They are internal entities that people simply do or do not possess. Those who subscribe to this theory not only believe that people have immutable traits, but also that the goal of knowing others is best accomplished by identifying which set of fixed traits they possess. This, as you will see, is the view that leads to stereotyping of others. The other view, which we have called an “incremental theory, ” instead posits that human qualities are malleable and can be developed. This theory does not imply that everyone will change, but rather that everyone has the ability to grow with education and effort. For people who hold this more dynamic view of human nature, the goal of knowing others is best