Teaching and learning guide for: Imagined intergroup contact: Theory, paradigm, and practice

A goal shared enthusiastically amongst many social psychologists is the improvement of intergroup relations. Conflict between groups is usually related to distinct, and in many cases opposing, identities, based on (for example) ethnicity, nationality, and religion, but also gender, age, sexual orientation and political or individual preferences. Our research has developed a new intervention for improving intergroup relations based on an integration of theory and empirical work on social cognition and intergroup relations. We've called the technique Imagined Contact because it is based on the mental simulation of intergroup contact experiences. Collectively, our research has focused on refining and evaluating imagined contact as an effective tool for the enhancement of intergroup relations. Our article in Social and Personality Psychology Compass provides a summary of the basic theory underlying imagined contact, a review of empirical findings to date, and a framework for developing practical applications of the intervention (in particular as a school-based intervention). We wanted to offer a teaching and learning guide for this article because we believe that the imagined contact task provides a flexible, effective, and easy-to-use tool for teachers, seminar leaders, students, and practitioners. The task can be used as a basis for encouraging more positive and open attitudes towards other groups, a way of preparing people for future intergroup encounters, a stimulus for discussions about the value in experiencing social diversity, and a way of illustrating the power of mental processes in forming and challenging attitudes about others

Where to draw the line? The influence of prior relationship, perpetrator-target sex and perpetrator motivation on the point at which behavior ‘crosses the line’ and becomes stalking

The present study examines the influence of prior relationship (intimate, non-intimate), perpetrator-target sex (male-female, female-male) and perpetrator motivation (romance, upset) on (1) the point at which behavior crosses the line and becomes stalking, and (2) the likelihood of offering five forms of advice to the target (formal support, informal support, protective measures, avoidance measures, threatening action). The study used a 2 × 2 × 2 between-participants experimental design. Four-hundred and sixty-one UK students read one of eight versions of a hypothetical scenario that they were informed may or may not depict a stalking situation. Analyses revealed that 97.8% (n = 451) of participants believed the perpetrator's behavior constituted stalking, and that behavior was perceived to cross the line earlier in the scenario when the perpetrator's motivation was to upset the target in the context of a non-intimate prior relationship only. Prior relationship, perpetrator-target sex and perpetrator motivation also influenced the likelihood of offering various forms of advice to the target. These findings further demonstrate the impact of situational characteristics on perceptions of stalking and highlight the importance of educational campaigns and programs to increase people's understanding of stalking

Unpacking the social psychology of populism: A brief introductory note

Research on populism spans disciplines, theoretical frameworks, and methodologies. As interest in the study of populism rises, social psychology scholars strive to understand (social) psychological factors associated with it. The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight the unique yet complementary role of social psychology in understanding - and possibly tackling - populism. The papers comprising this Special Issue offer an in-depth, comprehensive study of the topic, while including theoretical and methodological approaches to move the research in this field forward. Taken together, the papers provide insights of interest to academics, researchers, as well as policy makers and educators

Meta-humanization reduces prejudice, even under high intergroup threat

Meta-dehumanization, the perception your group has been given less than human qualities, contributes to a vicious cycle of outgroup dehumanization and hostility, such as hate crimes and support for discriminatory policies. Minimal research has investigated potential benefits of meta-humanization, or perceiving your group has been given dignified qualities. Across 7 studies (N = 1,261) in Canada and the United Kingdom, we focus on Muslim–non-Muslim relations and provide the first empirical evidence to suggest that (a) there is an indirect effect of meta-humanization through outgroup humanization that reduces prejudice and (b) that perceived high intergroup threat moderates the indirect effect of meta-humanization. Studies 1a and 1b reveal that humanization mediates the indirect effect of meta-humanization on prejudice. Studies 2a and 2b replicate these results as well as demonstrate that perceived threat moderates the indirect effect, and Study 2c extends this by testing the perspective of Muslims. Studies 3a and 3b further demonstrate an interaction between high threat and meta-humanization on prejudice and interest in intergroup contact. We conclude by discussing the implications of our results for the growing literature on meta-dehumanization, meta-humanization, and intergroup relations more broadly

Using intergroup contact to fight prejudice and negative attitudes: psychological perspectives

In this groundbreaking volume, Vezzali and Stathi present their research program within the larger contact literature, examining classic theories and current empirical findings, to show how they can be used to reduce prejudice and negative attitudes. The contact hypothesis (Allport, 1954) posits that in an environment of equality, cooperation, and normative support, contact between members of distinct groups can reduce prejudice. Whilst considerable research supports this hypothesis, how theory can be tested in the field remains relatively unexplored. In this innovative book, Vezzali and Stathi discuss why relying solely on advancing theory without considering applied aspects integral to contact may limit the scope of contact theory and restrict our understanding of complex social phenomena. Exploring fascinating topics such as the role of contact in reducing implicit prejudice and fostering collective action, applying indirect contact, and promoting positive interactions among survivors of natural disasters, Vezzali and Stathi explain how contact theory can be implemented and enhance the societal impact of intergroup contact research. Featuring extensive discussion on intergroup contact literature, future directions, and the necessity of applied research, this book will be essential reading for both students and academics of social and behavioral psychology

Extended contact and affective factors: A review and suggestions for future research

Extended intergroup contact has received growing support for its positive effect on intergroup relations. Previous research has focused on cognitive factors associated with extended contact, such as perceived group norms and inclusion of the other in self. In the present review, we examine the affective outcomes of extended contact. In particular, we review research demonstrating that extended contact has powerful effects on various affective measures of intergroup relations, such as intergroup anxiety, empathy, trust, and intergroup threat. We also present evidence that some of these affective factors mediate the relationship between extended contact and outgroup attitudes. Finally, we propose future re-search to extend the literature on the dual route of prejudice-reduction, via affective and cognitive factors, through extended contact

Using intercultural videos of direct contact to implement vicarious contact: A school-based intervention that improves intergroup attitudes

We aimed to create an engaging and dynamic intervention for schools that uses videos of direct school peer contact to implement a vicarious contact intervention. Participants were ethnic majority (Italian) and minority (immigrant) high-school students (N = 485, age ranging from 14 to 22 years old, mean age = 17.24 years), who were asked to watch and evaluate videos created by peers from their school for a competition for the best video on intercultural friendships. Results revealed that vicarious contact, relative to a control condition where participants were not shown any videos, improved outgroup attitudes, reduced negative outgroup stereotypes, and increased willingness to engage in contact with the outgroup. These effects only emerged when intercultural friendships in the videos were salient. Inclusion of the other in the self, but neither intergroup anxiety nor fear of rejection by the outgroup, significantly mediated the effect of the videos on outcomes. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of the findings

Imagined contact facilitates acculturation, Sometimes: Contradicting evidence from two socio-cultural contexts

Objective: Imagined intergroup contact has been shown to be an effective tool to improve intergroup relationships in various settings, yet the application of the strategy among minority group members and across cultures has been scarce. The current research aimed to test imagined contact effects on minority group members’ acculturation strategies (contact participation and culture maintenance), perceived discrimination, feelings of belongingness, and social acceptance across three studies conducted in the UK (Study 1) and Turkey (Study 2 and 3). Method: The sample consisted of Eastern Europeans in Study 1 (N = 63) and Kurds in Study 2 and 3 (N = 66 and 210, respectively). Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions (control vs. imagined contact) and completed measures of acculturation, perceived discrimination, general belongingness, and social acceptance. Results: Findings showed that while imagined contact significantly reduced perceived discrimination and culture maintenance, and increased contact participation and social acceptance among Eastern Europeans (Study 1), it reduced social acceptance and contact participation among Kurds recruited from a conflict-ridden homogeneous setting (Study 2). With a larger and more heterogeneous sample of Kurds (Study 3), these effects occurred only among those with higher ingroup identification. Moreover, in all studies social acceptance mediated the effects of imagined contact on contact participation and perceived discrimination. Discussion: Findings offer important insights about the use of the imagined contact strategy among minority group members and imply the need to take into account the context-dependent nature of contact strategies

When imagining intergroup contact mobilizes collective action: The perspective of disadvantaged and advantaged groups

The current studies aimed to reveal the potential role of imagined intergroup contact on collective action tendencies within a context of intergroup conflict. Study 1 (disadvantaged Kurds, N = 80) showed that imagined contact increased collective action tendencies and this effect was mediated by increased perceived discrimination and ethnic identification. Study 2 (advantaged Turks, N = 127) demonstrated that imagined contact also directly increased collective action tendencies, as well as perceived discrimination and relative deprivation among the advantaged group. No significant mediation emerged. At the same time, in line with literature, imagined contact led only the advantaged group members to display more positive outgroup attitudes. Findings suggest that in settings where ingroup identities and conflict are salient, imagined contact may not readily undermine motivation for social change among group members

Mobilizing or sedative effects? A narrative review of the association between intergroup contact and collective action among advantaged and disadvantaged groups

In this narrative review, we examined 134 studies of the relationship between intergroup contact and collective action benefiting disadvantaged groups. We aimed to identify whether, when, and why contact has mobilizing effects (promoting collective action) or sedative effects (inhibiting collective action). For both moderators and mediators, factors associated with the intergroup situation (compared with those associated with the out-group or the in-group) emerged as the most important. Group status had important effects. For members of socially advantaged groups (examined in 98 studies, 100 samples), contact had a general mobilizing effect, which was stronger when contact increased awareness of experiences of injustice among members of disadvantaged groups. For members of disadvantaged groups (examined in 49 studies, 58 samples), contact had mixed effects. Contact that increased awareness of injustice mobilized collection action; contact that made the legitimacy of group hierarchy or threat of retaliation more salient produced sedative effects