Cooperation makes it happen: Imagined intergroup cooperation enhances the positive effects of imagined contact

Abstract

Imagined intergroup contact represents a new indirect contact strategy to reduce intergroup bias. Extending the literature on imagined contact, we tested whether the inclusion of cooperation into the imagination task would outperform the standard imagined contact scenarios used in previous research. 87 participants were instructed to imagine a neutral versus a positive versus a cooperative interaction with an out-group member. As predicted, after imagining a cooperative intergroup interaction, participants showed more empathy and trust toward the out-group than participants in the remaining experimental conditions. Furthermore, they also reported reduced prejudice and intergroup anxiety. Taken together, implementing cooperation in the imagined contact paradigm reduced intergroup bias, above and beyond basic imagined contact effects. Finally, the perceived quality of the imagined interaction with an out-group member mediated the experimental effects. Theoretical and practical implications of these novel findings will be discussed.