There is substantial evidence showing that imagined contact, especially when. Following this imagined interaction, participants reported their affective feelings toward political outgroup members. Reformulating imagined intergroup contact theory by adding friendship potential s. Turner, crisp, and lambert 2007 suggested imagined intergroup contact as a means of reducing intergroup bias that is easier and more practical than actual contact. The approach combines 50 years of research into the effects of contact with recent. Intergroup contact theory has been one of the most influential theories in social psychology since it was first formulated by gordon allport in 1954.
Notably, there is little reference to the use of imagery in the book, and certainly not in the chapters most commonly cited in relation to intergroup contact. We have defined imagined intergroup contact as the mental simulation of a social. In this article, we outline a new implementation of intergroup contact theory. Finally, we discuss the broader outlook for contact theory, how imagined contact research illustrates a resurgent interest in cognitive approaches and how, in so doing, illustrates the power, potential and promise such.
The ability of music to facilitate social bonding during. The intergroup contact hypothesis was first proposed by allport 1954, who. Enhancing imagined contact to reduce prejudice against people. Tropp boston college the present article presents a metaanalytic test of intergroup contact theory. Annals of the international communication association. Jan 01, 2009 in this article, we outline a new implementation of intergroup contact theory. These findings point to the importance of combining the common ingroup identity model and the imagined contact theory in order to increase the potentiality of prejudice reduction. A and the jim crow laws, gordon allport 1954 proposed one of the most important social psychological events of the 20th century, suggesting that contact between members of different groups under certain conditions can work to reduce prejudice and intergroup conflict. Over the past 50 years, research involving either actual contact or retrospective reports of past actual contact has widely supported this premise, and contact is now one of the. Brief report secondary transfer effects from imagined contact. Sep 18, 2018 in this set of research, we investigated the effects of intergroup physical contact on intergroup attitudes by relying on indirect contact strategies, namely the imagined contact paradigm. The current paper examines whether such effects can result in secondary transfer to other groups pettigrew, 2009.
How do the positive effects of contact with an indi. Allport specified four conditions for optimal intergroup contact. To illustrate, consider a native outer islander in a village with an exogenously. In this set of research, we investigated the effects of intergroup physical contact on intergroup attitudes by relying on indirect contact strategies, namely the imagined contact paradigm. Gordon allports contact hypothesis facing history and. May 01, 2011 recent research has demonstrated that actual contact may not be necessary to reduce intergroup prejudice. Imagined intergroup contact is a new, effective tool for improving intergroup attitudes and promoting more positive intergroup relations. In criminology, psychology, and sociology, the contact hypothesis has been described as one of the best ways to improve relations among groups that are experiencing conflict. Theory, paradigm, and practice imagined intergroup contact.
Imagined intergroup contact and common ingroup identity. We implemented the imagined contact paradigm by leading participants to shape the mental imagery upon pictorial information. Pdf imagining intergroup contact can improve intergroup attitudes. The effect of imagined contact on outgroup evaluations was mediated by reduced intergroup anxiety. It represents both a versatile experimental paradigm for investigating the extended and indirect impacts of social contact, as well as a flexible and effective tool for. Extant theories predict greatest prejudice reduction following contact with typical. The approach combines 50 years of research into the effects of contact with recent advances in. Consistent with the contact hypothesis and from mutzs 2006 research, imagined intergroup contact reduced reports of negative affect. Elaborated imagined contact allows participants to imagine a more vivid, contextually situated intergroup contact scenario, contributing to the creation of a more detailed behavioral script which has shown to enhance the positive effects of imagined contact on intergroup attitudes crisp et al. Imagined intergroup contact promotes cooperation through outgroup trust. This volume highlights, via a critical lens, the most notable recent developments in the field, demonstrating its vitality and its capacity for reinvention and integration with a variety of.
However, no research to date has tested imagined contact in highprejudice contexts where. Music and imagined contact 7 intergroup bias intergroup bias refers to the tendency to favor ones own social group the ingroup over a social group with which one does not identify the outgroup. Researchers have examined various elements and conditions of the communication that may be related to the impact of intergroup contact. Although the past two decades have seen concrete attempts to reduce ethnic and racial prejudice, relatively little has been done to diminish age related prejudice. The chapter addresses critical issues for the theory s development and outlines a longitudinal intergroup contact theory. The approach combines 50 years of research into the effects of contact with recent advances in social cognition. Crisp and rhiannon turner 2009 and proposes that simply imagining a positive encounter with a member or members of an outgroup category can promote more positive intergroup attitudes electronic or econtact. A metaanalytic test of the imagined contact hypothesis. The chapter addresses critical issues for the theorys development and outlines a longitudinal intergroup contact theory. The current work builds on these findings to examine whether. Imagining intergroup contact can combat mental health stigma by reducing anxiety, avoidance and negative stereotyping. In three studies we established further benefits of this intervention, specified the conditions under which it will be maximally beneficial, and reported new and extended mediational pathways. A and the jim crow laws, gordon allport 1954 proposed one of the most important social psychological events of the 20th century, suggesting that contact between members of different groups under certain conditions can work to reduce.
Imagined intergroup physical contact improves attitudes. Pettigrew university of california, santa cruz linda r. Tajfel, 1978, this perspective brings into focus a consistent problem for the intergroup contact hypothesis and raises a potential problem for a theory of contact based on friendship. Jul 03, 2015 in conclusion, results from both studies demonstrate that imagining an intergroup interaction as members of the same group strengthens the effects of imagined contact. The imagined contact hypothesis is an extension of the contact hypothesis, a theoretical proposition centred on the psychology of prejudice and prejudice reduction. Recent work therefore suggested that even indirect forms of intergroup contact e. Intergroup contact theory has suggested that interpersonal, and even imagined, communication between members of different social groups is one of the most effective ways to promote positive intergroup attitudes. Pdf we investigated whether simply imagining contact with outgroup members can improve intergroup attitudes.
That imagination is a first step, a way of promoting a positive contact mindset, and a way of preparing people to engage positively in future intergroup contact. With 7 independent samples from 515 studies, the metaanalysis finds that intergroup contact typically reduces intergroup. Necessary and sufficient conditions for positive intergroup. Jan 21, 2009 in this article, we outline a new implementation of intergroup contact theory. Intergroup contact theory suggests that positive contact between individual. This chapter examines the literature on intergroup contact from a communication perspective. Yet research finds that the positive effects of crossgroup. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that imagined contact can reduce prejudice in a variety of ways, against numerous groups, and in varied social contexts.
Advances in experimental social psychology, 37, 255343. In conclusion, results from both studies demonstrate that imagining an intergroup interaction as members of the same group strengthens the effects of imagined contact. Imagining intergroup contact can improve intergroup attitudes. However, despite the promising nature of imagined contact, it has not yet. Imagining intergroup contact promotes projection to. Does imagining intergroup contact change attitudes about. The past, present and future of research on the contact hypothesis. Allport is often credited with the development of the contact hypothesis, also known as intergroup contact theory. A metaanalytic test of intergroup contact theory thomas f. In theory, individual incentives to develop intergroup relationships can vary with relative group sizes. Imagining intergroup contact enables membertogroup. Imagined intergroup contact promotes cooperation through. Enhancing imagined contact to reduce prejudice against. As such, the relationship between ethnic shares and national language use at home is nonlinear and ambiguous.
Despite the strong potential of interventions based on direct intergroup contact, direct contact interventions may be difficult to implement in educational settings. Brief report secondary transfer effects from imagined. Allport 1954 hypothesized that contact between members of opposing groups, under the right conditions, would lessen intergroup hostility and lead to more positive intergroup attitudes. Imagined contact with atypical outgroup members that are anti. The most evident case is in segregated contexts, where the outgroup is physically missing from the immediate context. Pdf in this article, we outline a new implementation of intergroup contact theory. Collectively, our research has focused on refining and evaluating imagined contact as an effective tool for the enhancement of intergroup relations. Imagined contact has thus been suggested as an option for prejudice reduction where direct contact strategies may not be easy or practical. Elaborated imagined contact allows participants to imagine a more vivid, contextually situated intergroup contact scenario, contributing to the creation of a more detailed behavioral script which has shown to enhance the positive effects of imagined contact on intergroup. Specifically, in study 1 participants saw a picture of a white hand touching a. Spontaneous imagined intergroup contact and intergroup.
Research examining this idea from a communication perspective is described and integrated with the large socialpsychological body of work. Turner, 2009 is a new indirect contact strategy for promoting tolerance and more positive intergroup relations. Crisp and rhiannon turner 2009 and proposes that simply imagining a positive encounter with a member or members of an outgroup category can promote more positive intergroup attitudes. Oct 17, 2014 a growing body of evidence demonstrates that imagined contact can reduce prejudice in a variety of ways, against numerous groups, and in varied social contexts. Elaboration enhances the imagined contact effect sciencedirect. As such, we frame our description and discussion of imagined contact effects within this basic idea. In the second and third parts, findings and hypotheses in extended contact theory and imagined contact theories were demonstrated respectively. Does having a political discussion help or hurt intergroup.
The basic idea of intergroup contact theorythat contact between groups reduces prejudiceis presented. An intergroup perspective on the contact hypothesis. Imagined intergroup contact the minds tremendous capacity for imagination has captivated psychologists since the earliest enquiries galton, 1883. The imagined contact hypothesis was put forward by richard j.
As such, recent work on the role of intergroup contact in reducing prejudice has moved away from the idea that contact must necessarily include direct facetoface contact between group members and instead includes the notion that indirect contact e. Varied research supports the hypothesis, but four problems remain. A selection bias limits crosssectional studies, since prejudiced people avoid intergroup contact. Imagined contact as a prejudicereduction intervention in. Despite its relatively recent inception, there have now been over 70 studies showing that imagining a positive interaction with an outgroup member can reduce prejudice and encourage positive. These subtitles contain proposals and related findings in social contact hypothesis of allport 1954 and in intergroup contact theory of pettigrew 1998. The imagined contact hypothesis queens university belfast. Imagined intergroup contact and common ingroup identity core. This is a pdf file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for.
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