Introduction to the Special Issue: Race,Social Attitudes,and Prejudice

Abstract

Although the socio-political circumstances of South Africa have made the issues of race, social attitudes, and prejudice highly salient ones, South African psychologists, with the exception of MacCrone, have not yet made major descriptive or explanatory contributions in the area. Several reasons for this are considered in the context of a brief overview of this work. It is suggested that there are indications that this has begun to change recently, and that this together with important socio-political changes in the country makes this a particularly appropriate time for a special issue of the SAJP on the subject. Finally, some implications of the contributions to this issue for the development of the field are briefly discussed.