To what extent--and why--do many people share similar views in socially significant domains such as politics, the economy, race, and gender? The editors' aim in this book is to explore both conceptual and substantive approaches to these questions.

Part I of the book introduces the approach adopted, reviews recent developments in the subject, and endeavours to synthesize speculations from anthropology and from psychology. The four chapters of Part II each concentrate on a different set of concepts for the social psychological study of widespread beliefs. Part III is more empirical. It presents six contributions from social psychologists. Each considers a particular substantive area or series of studies, and indicates what empirical work in that area tells us about the social psychological bases of widespread beliefs.