Direct en indirect contact

Abstract

Summary Direct and indirect contact: how personal contact and contact through media affect attitudes towards different ethnic groupsThe composition of Dutch society has altered drastically in the last decades. This expanding diversity in terms of culture and religion was accompanied by increased tension and prejudice amongst Dutch citizens. Although we already know a lot about the potential causes of anti-immigrant prejudice among adults, we know less about the processes among Dutch young adolescents (age 16-23). Young adolescents do not fear much direct economic competition yet, and they get much of the information about other cultures through (new) media. Based on contact theory we formulate assumptions with regard to direct (personal) contact as well as indirect contact (via media). In addition, we distinguish attitudes towards Turks and Moroccans from those towards Antilleans and Surinamese. We found that positive personal contact has a strong effect in enhancing positive attitudes for both groups and that social media are able to further enhance the effect of positive contact. Online news websites play the biggest role in decreasing positive attitudes. Finally, all effects showed to be stronger for attitudes towards Turks and Moroccans than towards Antilleans and Surinamese migrants.