The Effect of Equal-Status Contact on Ethnic Attitudes

Abstract

Summary The ethnic attitudes of 95 white academics working together with Coloured colleagues in an equal-status contact situation were compared with those of 100 white academics in a no-contact situation, by means of an adapted social distance scale. The effects exercised on ethnic attitudes by intergroup friendship, conservatism, authoritarianism, home language, sex, age, and father's educational level were examined. The most important finding is that equal-status contact correlated significantly with positive ethnic attitudes: i.e., low social distance. A significant positive correlation was found between positive ethnic attitudes and intergroup friendship. Significant negative correlations were found between ethnic attitudes and conservatism, as well as authoritarianism. Ethnic attitudes of English-speaking Ss were more positive than those of Afrikaans-speaking Ss. No significant correlations were found between ethnic attitudes and sex, age, or father's educational level.