The Moderating Effect of Intergroup Climate on the Prejudice-Reducing Effects of Intergroup Contact

Drawing upon intergroup contact theory (Allport, 1954; Pettigrew 1998) and the emerging literature on intergroup climate (e.g., Christ et al., 2013, 2014), I utilised various antipathetic intergroup relationships (e.g., Black people vs. White people; non-Muslims vs. Muslims), and various models of contact (e.g., Pettigrew, 1998; Koschate & van Dick, 2011) to test whether the effect of higher quality contact on less prejudice was facilitated by perceptions of a more positive intergroup climate. Results supported Allport’s (1954) classic model of four contact conditions independently predicting prejudice, although the conditions of ‘equal status’, ‘goal interdependence’, and ‘cooperation’ loaded strongly onto a separate factor than did ‘authority support’. Intergroup climate was successfully modelled as perceptions of intergroup norms, ingroup norms, and sociohistoric norms; further, there was some indication that beliefs regarding authority – traditionally considered a contact condition – might also impact intergroup climate in the form of macro authority norms. Results further supported the position that individuals are sensitive to intergroup climate, perceptions of which exhibited a separate – and stronger – effect on outgroup attitudes than did quality of personal contact. Regarding the proposed moderating effect of intergroup climate on contact effects, results were equivocal across studies. Some results supported the prediction of a facilitating effect of warmer ingroup norms on stronger contact effects. However, analyses of cross-sectional data revealed some evidence for an inhibitory effect, such that more negative (vs. positive) perceptions of intergroup climate were associated with a stronger relation between higher quality contact and warmer outgroup attitudes. Therefore, some aspects of intergroup contact might be most effective in negative intergroup climates. Theoretical and practical implications for contact researchers, prejudice researchers, and practitioners, are discussed

Putting theory into peaceful practice: insights and reflections on the process of coproducing a school-based intergroup relations intervention with teachers

With the increasing ethnic diversity in school classrooms globally, understanding how best to harness intergroup contact and promote social cohesion is a timely challenge for science, policy, and practice alike. There is an urgent need, therefore, for applied social psychological research that bridges theory and practice in the pursuit of peace. The present article reflects on the process of working with teachers in ethnically diverse secondary schools in England to coproduce an intervention that aimed to promote better intergroup relations among 11-year-old school students. Through a series of workshops, we cocreated a theoretically informed intervention that was then implemented and evaluated in schools. In this article, we discuss our approach to the development of our intervention. We then conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of our research process and approach to coproduction and offer recommendations for researchers aiming to carry out applied research in the pursuit of peace. The appropriateness of social psychological frameworks for promoting intergroup relations, and in turn, peace in real-world contexts and implications for future research and practice are discussed

Peer inclusion and school equality norm associations with intergroup contact, and academic self‐efficacy amongst ethnic majority and ethnic minority youth

Social norms are important predictors of youth attitudes and behaviours. There is substantial evidence that positive and meaningful intergroup contact supported by inclusive norms can have a range of benefits beyond prejudice reduction. The present research explores whether perceived peer inclusion norms and perceived norms of equality in school are associated with better quality and more frequent intergroup contact and in turn, whether these are associated with better academic self-efficacy. To test these assertions, we conducted a cross-sectional survey with ethnic majority and ethnic minority youth aged 11–12 (n = 629, 48% female, 43% minority ethnic) attending one of four ethnically diverse secondary schools in England. In support of our hypotheses, we found that both perceived inclusive peer norms and perceived school equality norms were associated with higher quantity and quality of contact for both ethnic majority and minority group youth. An indirect effect was observed whereby perceived peer norms of inclusion and school norms of equality were associated with higher academic self-efficacy through higher quality outgroup contact for both groups. No indirect effect was observed for contact quantity. Findings evidence the importance of perceived peer and school equality norms as well as intergroup contact effects for outcomes that go beyond prejudice reduction, in this case academic self-efficacy

Finding Silver Linings in the Covid-19 Pandemic: A 2-Wave Study in the UK

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in widespread anxiety, fear and depression, yet focussing only on these negative issues may obscure the opportunity to promote positivity and resilience. Traumatic events can often result in positive life changes (adversarial growth) though there is little evidence in the context of pandemics, and no previous studies in Covid-19 with the general public. The present research investigated whether adversarial growth was perceived in Covid-19 and whether this could account for variance in wellbeing, over and above effects of personality traits. Participants recruited from the UK public ( N = 183) completed the Big Five Personality Inventory, the WHO-5 Wellbeing Scale and the Silver Lining Questionnaire (SLQ) measure of adversarial growth. Questionnaires were completed online, at two timepoints, nine months apart. At Time 1, wellbeing was negatively associated with trait Neuroticism and positively associated with Openness to experience. Both associations were positively mediated by SLQ score. At Time 2, SLQ score again mediated the effects of Openness on wellbeing, and also the influence of wellbeing at Time 1 on that at Time 2. Reported Silver Linings included strengthened personal relationships at Time 1, and improved ability to handle life events at Time 2. This suggests a shift from an appreciation of relationships to an awareness of personal development once life returned to some semblance of normality. Overall, results suggest that perceived adversarial growth supported wellbeing during the pandemic and highlight a focus for therapeutic intervention. </jats:p