Intergroup Contact Theory Research Articles

Is Cross-Group Friendship Related to Less Perceived Criminal Threat of Immigrants and Less Negative Attitudes Toward Immigrants to the United States?

In recent years, the U.S. public has become increasingly concerned about the immigration issue. Criminological research and group threat theory suggest that harsh immigration policy preferences may be driven by perceived criminal threat of immigrants. More research is needed to understand how to reduce perceived immigrant criminality and negative attitudes toward immigrants. Using intergroup contact theory and an American adult sample ( N = 1,037), the current study tests if cross-group friendship with foreign-born immigrants may reduce negative immigration attitudes both directly, and indirectly by lowering perceived criminal threat of immigrants. Results from regression analyses showed that perceived criminal threat was positively related to negative immigration attitudes. Cross-group friendship was directly related to less perceived criminal threat and less negative immigration attitudes. However, results from mediation analyses showed that cross-group friendship did not further reduce negative immigration attitudes indirectly via lowered perceived criminal threat. The results highlight the importance of meaningful cross-group friendship in mitigating negative immigrant perceptions and call for future research to further investigate ways to correct criminal typification of immigrants.

Embedding Inclusive, Equitable Diversity Practices in Nonprofit Organizations: Developing Policy to Account for System Dynamics

Abstract To offer guidance to nonprofit leaders desiring to leverage diversity for inclusion, performance, and equity, we develop a framework for a comprehensive, mission-enhancing policy. The policy fits nonprofit organizations’ distinctive characteristics of shared mission attainment and values focus among members. The framework proceeds from an extensive transdisciplinary review and synthesis of empirical literature. It focuses on lived actions in the form of organizing practices that leaders can institute and sustain. Through a combined lens of practice theory, intergroup contact theory, and systems dynamics, we identify everyday workplace practices that undermine inclusion, performance, and equity. We detail how these anti-inclusive practices produce systemic resistance to current diversity policies by operating in vicious cycles that continually reproduce organizational and social problems. We specify a combination of practices for accountability, inclusive interactions, and personalized socialization that address the anti-inclusive practices and produce virtuous cycles of inclusion among organizational members. Illustrative cases demonstrate how the combination of practices has been effective in producing inclusion and attitude change in nonprofit organizations. To overcome policy resistance, these cases and other evidence suggest nonprofit diversity policy should emphasize inclusive values and mission-attainment rather than legal compliance.

Social Representations of Trans People in the Workplace

Organizations show tendencies to discriminate against trans people, making them significantly more likely to face barriers in the professional context, where the highest rates of discrimination against trans people are reported. This study intends to acknowledge the SRs that are associated with trans people in the workplace since the Theory of Social Representations suggests that Social Representations (SRs) are useful to regulate perceptions and the way we act in the world. Also, through Intergroup Contact Theory, by suggesting that contact with a minority population will reduce the associated prejudice, we also intend to understand the impact contact has on SRs. By applying a questionnaire between 20 January and 21 February 2022 on a random sample of 217 people, and respective analyses in MAXQDA 2022 and EVOC 2005 software, the results indicate that the SRs most associated with trans people in a professional context are discrimination, normality, equality, difficulties, and prejudice. Although the term “discrimination” was the most mentioned, it is worth underlining the appearance of positive (and neutral) terms, which may, according to Intergroup Contact Theory, be justified by contact since the majority of the sample (57.6%, n = 125) have had contact with trans people.

Communication frequency, identity accommodation, and attitudes toward people with disabilities in the United States: Disability salience and intergroup anxiety

This study investigates the relationship between interability communication (i.e., communication frequency and identity accommodation) and interability attitudes and disability stereotyping through intergroup anxiety and whether the relationship varies with disability salience. Results indicated that participants’ report of communication frequency with their disability-contact had a significant direct effect on the dependent variables (i.e., interability attitudes and disability stereotyping). Moderated mediation results revealed that when salience was low, communication frequency enhanced positive interability attitudes and reduced disability stereotyping through reduced anxiety. Additionally, perceptions of identity accommodation were positively associated with interability attitudes. However, when salience was moderate and high, identity accommodation reduced positive interability attitudes and elevated negative disability stereotyping through an increase in intergroup anxiety. Discussion focuses on the complementary nature of communication accommodation and intergroup contact theories, and thus illustrates the complex role played by identity accommodation in the interability context.

Reducing College Student's Stigma Toward People With Schizophrenia: A Pilot Trial

Purpose: A new 1-day intervention grounded on the inter-group contact theory was developed and implemented to reduce college students’ stigma toward people with schizophrenia (PWS). We hypothesized that the stigmatizing situation could be alleviated by different levels of contact. Method: A pilot trial was conducted in Hong Kong with 41 college students participating in the intervention. Participants’ perception, stigmatizing attitudes, and social distance toward PWS were measured pre-, post, and 1-month after the intervention. Results: Significant changes were found in all outcome variables with moderate to high effect sizes. Knowledge session without direct contact contributed most to participants’ knowledge improvement, and higher levels of contact led to an obvious improvement in stigmatizing attitudes and social distance changes. Discussion:The current study provided evidence supporting the efficacy of the new intervention based on inter-group contact theory and practical experience for future stigma research.

Education and Inter-Ethnic Attitudes among Recent Immigrants in the Netherlands

Recent researchshows that better educated and structurally integrated immigrants do not articulate more positive attitudes toward the ethnic majority than immigrants who have lower levels of educational attainment, described as evidence of an “integration paradox.” While these findings have important implications for theories of immigrant integration, they stand in contrast with theories of intergroup relations, e.g., intergroup contact theory. Importantly, these findings also challenge the strong theoretical expectation that higher levels of education generate more positive intergroup attitudes, that is, the universality of the educational effect. Using four waves from ‘New Immigrants Survey Netherlands’ (NIS2NL) survey, I investigate attitudinal differences toward both the ethnic majority and other ethnic minorities in the Netherlands for four recent immigrant groups by focusing on the highest level of education from their country of origin. First, I analyze whether the relationship between education and outgroup attitudes differs toward the ethnic majority and toward ethnic minorities. Second, I look at how attitudes toward outgroups change over time. Findings indicate that immigrants with higher levels of educational attainment hold more positive attitudes toward other ethnic minority groups, and these attitudes are stable over time. Attitudes toward the ethnic majority, however, are initially very positive but become less so over time, regardless of level of education. The findings shed new light on the universality of the educational effect on interethnic attitudes by showing that higher levels of education among immigrants have a potential “liberalizing” effect only toward minority groups, but not toward the ethnic majority.

Virtual Immersive Contact: A Field Experiment to Reduce Prejudice and Discrimination in Central African Republic

This present research explores a progressive repurposing of Virtual Reality technology, Virtual Immersive Contact (VIC), in a real-world setting to; explore viability to reduce prejudice and investigate the role of empathy in motivating prosocial behavior. The study employed a between-subjects repeated-measures experimental design of a randomized sample ( n = 113) split into two conditions to reduce prejudice and discrimination in the active conflict area of the Central African Republic (CAR). In line with the study’s hypotheses, VIC produced a significant increase in empathic concern for the Muslim outgroup and intentions to donate to a Muslim family, while also showing that the relationship between empathy and helping behaviours was mostly explained by confounding variables. This research provides both the first evidence of its kind that VIC could be a new form of fostering positive intergroup contact in an active conflict setting, crating a new facet of intergroup contact theory, and further evolving the literature on the empathy, prosocial behaviour relationship.

The Role of Social Contact in Public Perceptions of Homelessness in Parks and Public Spaces

ABSTRACT Unsheltered homelessness – in which people reside in parks or on streets – is on the rise and poses a challenge for municipal parks and recreation agencies. Simultaneously, public opinion on homelessness has softened in recent years and may be misaligned with park agency practices. This study measured public attitudes on homelessness and on park agency involvement in addressing homelessness, using intergroup contact theory. Prior experience with homelessness was related to support of homelessness solutions and positive ideology toward homelessness. Support of homelessness solutions and positive ideology toward homelessness were related to support of the involvement of parks agencies in addressing homelessness.

Racially diverse educational pathways and STEM college outcomes: A quantitative analysis of students in North Carolina

AbstractThis article investigates whether attending a sequence of racially diverse schools predicts science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college outcomes. Such a relationship is important because of the increasingly diverse population of school‐aged children who are likely to attend racially segregated K‐12 schools and colleges, the benefits for individuals and society of STEM college graduates, and the projected shortage of people trained for future STEM workforce demands. We use a unique panel data set (N = 14,980) of the University of North Carolina graduates. Our main analytical approach is multilevel modeling to examine the relationship between attending a sequence of racially diverse educational institutions and the odds of declaring and/or graduating with a STEM major. We find that students who attended a diverse sequence of schools are more likely to declare and graduate with STEM majors than those who did not. Framing our results with theories of cumulative advantage and intergroup contact theories, we offer science education policy reform recommendations.

Women Journalists’ Contact Quality with Male Coworkers, Affective Attitudes Toward Men and Intention to Quit: Intergroup Anxiety in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT Along with Saudi women’s increased presence and participation in mixed-gender workforces and the current government’s reform initiative, Saudi Vision 2030, their communication opportunities with male coworkers have also increased. Guided by intergroup contact theory, the current online survey tested the influences of Saudi female journalists’ (N = 198) report of communication quantity and communication quality with male coworkers on their affective attitudes toward Saudi men and intention to quit the current job. Supporting our hypotheses, results indicated that Saudi female journalists’ communication quality with male coworkers was positively associated with affective attitudes toward men. In addition, results revealed a significant positive indirect effect of communication quality with male coworkers on affective attitudes toward men and a significant negative indirect effect on intention to quit through intergroup anxiety. These findings are discussed regarding prior literature on intergroup contact theory and Saudi women in the workplace.

Counter-stereotype intervention for construction and demolition waste recycling products: A functional near infrared spectroscopy study

The generation and stock of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is increasing, which makes the environmental and economic problems serious. In recent years, China has also launched many policies to encourage and guide C&D waste recycling. However, most of these policies are aimed at contractors and recycling utilization parties, while the lack of publicity and promotion has led to the acceptance in the market is generally low. People may have a negative stereotype of this recycled material recycled from C&D waste.In order to explore a measure that can alleviate this problem, this study used experimental research methods from psychology and neuroscience to investigate the mechanisms of different presentation forms of counter-stereotype intervention materials. This study included two experiments: the pretest experiment verified the implicit-explicit stereotype and neuronal image representation of C&D recycling products through single category implicit association test (SC-IAT), semantic difference scale and functional near-infrared (fNIRS). The posttest experiment was based on the counter-stereotype intervention method and intergroup contact theory. A within-participants design was used to investigate the effectiveness of counter-stereotype intervention and the differences in two intervene presentation forms based on the pretest experiment.The results showed that the counter-stereotype intervention was effective in suppressing the activation of stereotypes. The effects of the intervention were similar for both the video and graphic formats. In the neuron imaging representation of the posttest experiment, the significantly activated brain region shifted from the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (R-dlPFC) to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-dlPFC). L-dlPFC is highly associated with the modulation of cognition, indicating that after the counter-stereotype intervention, the necessity of C&D waste recycling and the credibility of the recycling product influenced the participants. So when the stereotype was reactivated, the signal in the L-dlPFC was suppressed, weakening the expression of the stereotype. This also suggests that the mechanism of counter-stereotype intervention is to strengthen the brain regulatory system rather than to inhibit the activation of stereotypes at the source.

Online + International: Utilizing Theory to Maximize Intercultural Learning in Virtual Exchange Courses

Virtual exchanges (VEs) are course-based experiences designed to promote global learning, often by integrating cross-cultural interactions and collaborations with people from other areas of the world into coursework in a virtual format. Due to the widespread disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, VEs have seen an increase in popularity. However, research findings on the effectiveness of VEs are mixed, and limited guidance is available to VE instructors on how to structure and facilitate these programs. The purpose of this paper is to highlight how theories and literature in two distinct areas of scholarship, Intergroup Contact theory and the Community of Inquiry model in online learning, could be applied to VEs to maximize student learning. We discuss each of these theories first and then highlight how they could be applied to VEs using illustrative examples from a pilot study of five VE courses offered at one institution during the summer of 2021.

Ageism in tourism: an intergroup contact theory approach

ABSTRACT The diversity of tourists in terms of age poses challenges for the tourism industry; tourist experience may be hindered by stereotypes and prejudices directed at older people. This study introduces the concept of ageism in tourism and empirically tests it by relying on intergroup contact theory. Specifically, the antecedents of ageism in tourism are explored by investigating the impact of contact quality on ageism and addressing the mediating roles of metastereotypes and aging anxiety, and the moderating role of gender. This study is based on a survey using a self-administered questionnaire with 530 responses. Data were collected from young people aged 18–35. Based on SEM modeling, our results confirm the direct link between contact quality and ageism in tourism and find evidence for the mediating role of metastereotypes. The moderating role of gender is identified in the relationship between aging anxiety and ageism suggesting that men and women have different coping strategies when facing aging anxiety. To reduce ageism in the tourism industry, intervention efforts are needed. Based on our findings, we propose a combination of educational and intergenerational contact interventions.

Teacher attitudes toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual students: Evidence for intergroup contact theory and secondary transfer effects

This article presents two studies that tested the predictive validity of intergroup contact theory and secondary transfer effects related to pre-service teacher attitudes toward sexual minority youth in classrooms. Multiple regression of feeling thermometer scores in Study 1 (N = 989) suggested that more favorable attitudes are present among younger, female, bisexual or homosexual, less religious, politically left-wing pre-service teachers with lesbian, gay, and bisexual contacts. Associations with family membership and hometown size were nonsignificant. Analyses of variance in Study 2 (N = 406) showed statistically significant secondary transfer effects. For instance, teacher candidates with no lesbian women contacts showed less sexual prejudice toward lesbian students if they were in social contact with gay men and bisexual people. Implications for teacher education, teacher professionalism, and the need to create safe spaces in school for LGBTQIA+ students are discussed.

The Limitations of Intergroup Friendship: Using Social Network Analysis to Test the Pathways Linking Contact and Intergroup Attitudes in a Multigroup Context

Recent research on intergroup contact theory has emphasized the potency of cross-group friendship for reducing prejudice. Evaluating this claim requires consideration of competing friend influence and selection processes. Few studies have jointly tested these mechanisms and often only in limited, majority/minority group contexts. In this study, the authors articulate several mechanisms linking friendships with intergroup attitudes and test them in a diverse U.S. context (two large high schools with significant representations of multiple ethnoracial groups). The analysis involves a longitudinal network model of friendship and attitude coevolution. The findings indicate that ingroup friends influenced intergroup contact attitudes (ICAs) over time, while more open ICAs promoted selection into cross-group friendship. By contrast, effects of cross-group friendships on ICAs were limited to White students with Black friends. These findings suggest that the effect of intergroup contact is overstated in the context of friendship and that more focus should be paid to understanding other friendship dynamics.

Investigating the Moderating Role of Positive Intergroup Contact on the Association between Authoritarianism and Homophobia among Heterosexual Young Adults

Authoritarian personality traits are associated with compliance and obedience to prevailing social norms and values. In contexts where the political climate fuels homophobia, people with authoritarian personality traits display more homophobic attitudes and behaviors. On the other hand, positive intergroup contact can reduce problems between groups. This positive intergroup contact, which emphasizes similarities by weakening baseless information about the outgroup, has long been used to reduce intergroup conflicts. In a heterosexual sample, whether positive intergroup contact will have a moderating role in the relationship between authoritarianism and homophobia is an open question. To answer this question, 241 young adults (Mage = 22.0, SD = 2.04; 59.3% female, 40.7% male) from 47 different cities of Türkiye were reached. Participants completed the right-wing authoritarianism scale, the social contact form with sexual minorities, and the Hudson & Ricketts homophobia scale. In parallel with the hypotheses, the findings show that authoritarian personality score positively predicted homophobia (β = .49, SE = .05, z = 10.07, p < .001), while positive intergroup contact negatively predicted homophobia (β = -.66, SE = .08, z = -8.67, p < .001). However, contrary to the hypothesis, no moderating role of positive intergroup contact in the association between authoritarianism and homophobia was observed (β = -.03, SE = .05, z = -.53 p = .593). Simple slope analyzes showed that authoritarianism positively predicted homophobia at both high and low levels of positive intergroup contact. The findings are discussed in the context of intergroup contact theory.

Using simulation-based interprofessional education to change attitudes towards collaboration among higher specialty trainee physicians and registered nurses: a mixed methods pilot study

ABSTRACT Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is important for delivering safe patient care and can be enhanced through interprofessional education (IPE). In postgraduate medical education, the most effective model for delivering IPE remains unclear. A multi-site non-randomized mixed methods study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of a simulation-based IPE (SB-IPE) intervention on changing attitudes among higher specialty trainee (HST) physicians in general internal medicine and registered nurses (RNs). The intervention, underpinned by intergroup contact theory, is comprised of paired participants (HSTs:RNs) undertaking six simulated scenarios. The Jefferson Scale of Attitudes toward Interprofessional Collaboration (JeffSATIC) was administered pre-and-post intervention. Focus groups were conducted to explore participants’ perceptions of IPC and the SB-IPE intervention. Fifty-six participants attended the SB-IPE intervention and 37 completed focus group interviews. Overall, attitudes toward IPC changed positively (p < .001), with greater change among HSTs (p = .001) compared to RNs (p = .12). Attitudes to “working relationships” significantly increased for HSTs (p < .001) but not RNs (p = .047). Focus group analysis identified three processes by which SB-IPE led to attitudinal change: 1) Shared vulnerability, 2) Positive affirmation, and 3) Negotiating professional hierarchies, mainly through relationship building. Further research is needed to investigate the long-term impact of attitudinal change, including the extent to which benefits transfer into practice.

Online Hate Speech and Immigration Acceptance: A Study of Spanish Provinces

Online hate speech against migrants and refugees poses a grave challenge for coexistence and democracy. However, it also offers an opportunity to measure social acceptance towards this group. Using the Intergroup Contact and the Mediated Intergroup Contact Theory, and an already validated methodology, this article seeks to validate whether the use of hate speech as a predictor of social acceptance is valid at a provincial level in Spain. Contrasting 97,710 tweets about migrants and refugees with secondary data from public Spanish institutions about acceptance of immigration and foreign population, no correlation was observed, rejecting the main hypotheses, and hinting that the application of this approach might not be recommended for smaller entities, such as provinces (NUTS 3). However, the study offers descriptive data about racist hate speech spread on Twitter in Spain, and also discusses the need for more studies using big data to increase knowledge about online hate speech against migrants and refugees.

Context Matters – Social Context Moderates the Association Between Indirect Intergroup Contact and Attitudes Toward Refugees

Abstract. Based on an integration of socioecological systems and intergroup contact theory, we hypothesized that the context in which intergroup contact takes place moderates its association with attitudes toward refugees. To test this prediction, majority members in Germany reported in three studies ( Ntotal = 695) how often they have had positive and negative direct and indirect contact with refugees in different contexts and their attitudes toward refugees. While the association between direct contact and intergroup attitudes was relatively context-independent, the association between indirect contact and attitudes toward refugees strongly depended on context. Indirect contact was more strongly associated with attitudes toward refugees in contexts with close relationships (family and friends) than in contexts with distanced relationships (newspaper and TV).

Development and Trends of Intergroup Contact Studies

Intergroup contact is considered as an effective intervention strategy to reduce intergroup bias, increase intergroup trust, and promote inter-group relationships. The study used CiteSpace software to do a visual analysis on the 2966 articles from the Web of Science Core Collection database between 2012 and 2022. It was found that during this period, the number of articles focus on intergroup contact increased steadily year by year, with social psychology as the main discipline background, the researchers are mainly conducted in the United States and the research content focused on intergroup contact theory, intergroup attitude, intergroup anxiety, reducing bias and other topics. Moreover, it formed the foundation of knowledge including direct contact and indirect contact, mechanism of how intergroup contact to improve intergroup bias, and intergroup contact intervention strategies. Research trends mainly include positive contact, negative contact, and social change research.