Do observer ratings validate self-reports of intergroup contact?: A round-robin analysis

Abstract

Two studies used a round-robin design to examine whether the observers made consensual judgments of targets' degree and quality of intergroup contact, and whether these consensual judgments were correlated with the targets' own self ratings, and moderated by the observability of the contact. Study 1 revealed projection/assumed similarity, with participants rating others as similar to themselves to a large extent, but also yielded evidence for the validity of whites' self-reports of direct, but not extended, intergroup contact with Asians, even when controlling for extraversion and perceived attitudes. Study 2 replicated the main results, using both Asians and Gay men as outgroups, and showed that participants' ratings discriminated between the two discrete outgroups, with measures of contact and attitude being only meaningfully related within, but not between, outgroups. Overall, these findings help to validate self-report measures of direct intergroup contact.

Measures of Intergroup Contact

“…Their research included two items measuring cross-group friendships that were almost identical to those used in Turner et al (2007a, Study 3), as well as contact quantity and quality items based on those found in Islam and Hewstone (1993). Therefore, the Hewstone et al (2011) study lends crucial support to the convergent validity of such self-report measures of intergroup contact using the items we have highlighted here (see also Dhont, Van Hiel, De Bolle, & Roets, 2012, for additional evidence). …”

“…However, Hewstone, Judd, and Sharp (2011) demonstrated that respondents' ratings of their own intergroup contact were highly correlated with observer ratings. Their research included two items measuring cross-group friendships that were almost identical to those used in Turner et al (2007a, Study 3), as well as contact quantity and quality items based on those found in Islam and Hewstone (1993).…”

The effectiveness of intergroup contact at work: Mediators and moderators of hospital workers' prejudice towards immigrants

“…However, recent research by Hewstone, Sharp, and Judd (2009) found evidence that observers' reports (e.g. participants' friends and family members) and self-reports of contact were significantly associated, which constitutes a validation of self-report measures of contact.…”

When is computer-mediated intergroup contact most promising? Examining the effect of out-group members' anonymity on prejudice

“…'; pre = .79; post = .91). Students further expressed attitudes towards the out-group on a feeling thermometer (see e.g., Hewstone, Judd, & Sharp, 2011; 0°C = least warm; 100°C = most warm) as well as positive attitude forecasting (before the CMIC) and positive explicit outgroup attitudes (after the CMIC) on a three-item scale ('I think I (will) really like students from the University B', 'I think students from the University B are really friendly. ', 'I would not trust students from the University B' (reversed); pre = .85; post = .68).…”