Contextual effect of positive intergroup contact on outgroup prejudice

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1320901111
• Publication Date: 2014-03-04T02:26:27Z
• Authors: Oliver Christ; Katharina Schmid; Simon Lolliot; Hermann Swart; Dietlind Stolle; Nicole Tausch; Ananthi Al Ramiah; Ulrich Wagner; Steven Vertovec; Miles Hewstone
• Keywords: Outgroup; Prejudice (legal term); Ingroups and outgroups; Contact hypothesis; Association (psychology); Contact Theory

We assessed evidence for a contextual effect of positive intergroup contact, whereby the contact between social contexts (the between-level effect) on outgroup prejudice is greater than individual-level within within-level effect). Across seven large-scale surveys (five cross-sectional and two longitudinal), using multilevel analyses, we found reliable effect. This was in multiple countries, operationalizing context at levels (regions, districts, neighborhoods), with without controlling range demographic variables. In four studies (three one longitudinal) showed that association context-level largely mediated by more tolerant norms. where outgroups commonplace, norms supported such interactions members different groups. Thus, reduces macrolevel, people are influenced behavior others their context, not merely microscale, via individuals' direct experience members. These findings reinforce view has significant role to play reduction, great policy potential as means improve relations, because it can simultaneously impact large numbers people.