Trust, Cooperation, and Collective Action in Diverse Communities - Incite at Columbia University

How do people view and respond to racial and ethnic diversity in their communities? Do they respond differently to diversity depending on the specific racial or ethnic groups that make up that diversity?

The first part of this project examined how people from different racial/ethnic backgrounds define diversity, distinguishing heterogeneity from the share of non-Whites in a community.

The second part asked whether and how people learn from past cross-racial interactions and become trusting toward strangers from different racial or ethnic backgrounds.

The third part focused on urban neighborhoods where diversity “works,” i.e., where neighbors have repeatedly organized to achieve common goals, despite racial and ethnic differences between them. Here, the goal was to uncover the mechanisms—like communication and sanctioning—that successfully promote cooperation between people from different backgrounds.

As part of the project, Maria Abascal led a research practicum for advanced undergraduate students and graduate students on the topic of experimental research methods. She also expanded on Incite's ongoing Experimental Design Workshop, which brings together experimental social scientists from across the Columbia to exchange ideas and receive feedback on original experimental research.

The findings of the research provide insights useful in formulating and implementing policies, including those related to affirmative action, immigration, and residential integration.