DAILY PRACTICE AS A CREATOR OF COMMON SHARED VALUES
DAILY PRACTICE AS A CREATOR OF COMMON SHARED VALUES

Summary/Abstract: This abstract sets out to highlight how Social Psychology, over the last seventy years, has demonstrated various functional ways in which groups different in terms of ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, economic and cultural level can interact without conflict (Mazzara, 2017).Although pioneering, the studies of W. Allport in the 1950’s succeeded in intercepting concepts, among which the 1954 Theory of Contact, a theory which identified four fundamental elements through which diverse groups might relate to one another both positively and efficiently: positive and pleasant interaction, similar status, possibility of prior consciousness and institutional support. Successive studies of non-conflictual inter-group behavior, such as Pettigrew and Tropp (2000), Tajfel and Turner (1979) and Turner (1979), also have Allport’s four elements at their base. Considering Allport’s vision, one may deduce that multi-culturalism (interaction between differing social groups and their mutual recognition) is to be regarded as an enriching exchange for all groups in as much as each one helps the other. Should this contact occur within this favourable framework, it is highly likely that this interaction can reduce prejudice effectively (Sherif, 1966). Thus, when speaking of multi-culturalism, one is not speaking of an abstract idea but of one which is concrete and based upon reciprocal exchange/help. This leads to the recognition to exist with parity both as a group and as a culture; this represents the creation of daily practice which, with time, will become common values (Sartori, 2000).

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