Contact Experiences Shape the Outcomes of Interethnic Differences: Elaborating Social Identity Theory

Abstract

ABSTRACT Analyses show that: (a) majority members are particularly prejudiced toward the most culturally distant out-groups (i.e. Poles and Iraqis), (b) unpleasant contact experiences enhance the capacity of ethnic characteristics to generate prejudice toward Poles and Iraqis (rather than toward Norwegians), and (c) pleasant contact experiences weaken the capacity of ethnic characteristics to generate prejudice toward Poles and Iraqis. Analyses were performed on a tailor-made experimental survey manipulating ethnic characteristics, fielded in Denmark in 2021 (N = 1,882). Findings suggest that social identity theory must incorporate insights into how social interaction affects the interethnic differences–prejudice relationship.