Favorable Contact During Volunteer Service: Reducing Prejudice Toward Mexicans in the American Southwest

• DOI: 10.1002/casp.2144
• Publication Date: 2013-07-02T08:03:56Z
• Authors: Robert D. Ridge; Jared A. Montoya
• Keywords: Prejudice (legal term); Contact hypothesis

ABSTRACT We assessed religious volunteers’ intergroup contact, realistic threat perceptions, symbolic anxiety, negative stereotypes and prejudice toward Mexicans before approximately 4–6 months into their volunteer service. Whether assigned to serve or European–Americans, all volunteers experienced reduced Mexicans. A multiple mediator model suggests that changes in resulted from a mediated relationship between quality contact prejudice. Specifically, anxiety the relationship. The benefits of volunteerism as means fostering favorable reducing perceptions are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.