Does perceived cultural distance mediate the relationship between intergroup contact and support for refugee rights? A preliminary investigation

Abstract

Despite the importance of cultural difference perceptions in intergroup relations, prior work has paid insufficient attention to the intersection between intergroup contact, perceived cultural distance, and policy support. Using cross-sectional data from a community sample of 210 Turkish citizens, this study examined whether perceived cultural distance would mediate the link between intergroup contact and support for Syrian refugee rights. The results showed that perceived cultural distance mediated the relationship between contact quality, but not contact quantity, and support for refugee rights. This mediated relationship was further moderated by political orientation, such that perceived cultural distance mediated the role of contact quality in support for refugee rights only among participants with a leftist (vs. rightist) orientation. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings were discussed, along with a reflection on future research directions. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement