Advancing the Psychological Approach to Social Inclusion: Unraveling Caste as a Unique Construct

The rigid structures of caste and the resulting casteism deeply affect millions, especially the estimated 200 million Dalits in the Indian subcontinent and its global diaspora. Yet, these critical aspects of social identity are barely mentioned in the study of intergroup psychology. We attempt to address this gap. Arranged into four mutually exclusive classes known as varnas, further subdivided into more specific categories termed Jatis, South Asian caste boundaries are complex, intertwined with religious doctrines, and vary across geographies. Moreover, caste discrimination against lower-caste groups, like the Dalits, is relatively acceptable. This acceptability contrasts with the assumption of prevailing anti-discrimination norms that characterize the psychological research of many other biases, such as racial bias in contemporary U.S. society. Caste boundaries are also firmly rooted in notions of purity, and one's caste membership is not usually evident at a glance. We outline an agenda for understanding and combating casteism that involves exploring the social, cognitive, and emotional factors that contribute to caste-based bias, the ways caste intersects with other identities, whether and how people recognize caste discrimination, the measurement of caste-based bias, and strategies to counteract casteism and its discriminatory effects. Intergroup psychology would be improved from the study of these issues – as would the lives of the millions of people affected by caste-based bias.