Prejudice reduction or self‐selection? A test of the contact hypothesis

Wilson, Thomas C.

doi:10.1080/02732173.1996.9982119

Cited by 51 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Finally, a model with a path from contact to prejudice (␤ ϭ Ϫ.49), 2 (42, N ϭ 769) ϭ 232.6, fit much better than one with a path from prejudice to contact (␤ ϭ Ϫ.42), 2 (42, N ϭ 769) ϭ 250.4; ⌬ 2 (1, N ϭ 769) ϭ 13.8, p Ͻ .01. Although these are crude tests, other investigators have reached the same conclusion using an array of different methods (e.g., Irish, 1952;Powers & Ellison, 1995;Wilson, 1996). …”

Section: The Causal Order Of Contact and Prejudicementioning

confidence: 86%

Role of Perceived Importance in Intergroup Contact.

Dick

Wagner

Pettigrew

et al. 2004

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

119

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Furthering G. W. Allport's contentions for optimal contact, the authors introduce a new construct: the perceived importance of contact. They propose that perceived importance is the best proximal predictor of contact's reduction of prejudice. If individuals have opportunities for contact at work or in the neighborhood, their chances to have intergroup acquaintances and friends increase. Intergroup contact among acquaintances and friends can be perceived as more or less important, which in turn determines intergroup evaluations. A 1st study shows that the new measure of perceived importance is indeed distinct from established quantity and quality indicators. The results are cross-validated in a 2nd study that also sheds light on the meaning of importance. In 3rd and 4th studies, structural equation analyses and a meta-analysis support the hypotheses.

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Section: The Causal Order Of Contact and Prejudicementioning

confidence: 86%

Role of Perceived Importance in Intergroup Contact.

Dick

Wagner

Pettigrew

et al. 2004

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

119

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…But we know that non-recursive paths exist in the complex relationship between contact and prejudice that we have not considered here. Prior work shows that prejudice restricts intergroup contact at the same time contact reduces prejudice; still, the path from contact to prejudice is typically stronger than the path from prejudice to contact (see Butler & Wilson, 1978;Irish, 1952;Pettigrew, 1997;Powers & Ellison, 1995;Sherif, 1966;Van Dick et al, 2004;Wilson, 1996).…”

Section: Limitations Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

How does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Meta‐analytic tests of three mediators

Pettigrew

Tropp

2008

Euro J Social Psych

2,176

132

1,938

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Recent years have witnessed a renewal of interest in intergroup contact theory. A meta-analysis of more than 500 studies established the theory's basic contention that intergroup contact typically reduces prejudices of many types. This paper addresses the issue of process: just how does contact diminish prejudice? We test meta-analytically the three most studied mediators: contact reduces prejudice by (1) enhancing knowledge about the outgroup, (2) reducing anxiety about intergroup contact, and (3) increasing empathy and perspective taking. Our tests reveal mediational effects for all three of these mediators. However, the mediational value of increased knowledge appears less strong than anxiety reduction and empathy. Limitations of the study and implications of the results are discussed.

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“…A number of studies have empirically investigated the effects of inter-racial contact on whites' racial attitudes (Ihlanfeldt & Scafidi, 2002b;Jackman & Crane, 1986;Sigelman & Welch, 1993;Wilson, 1996). Jackman & Crane and Sigelman & Welch offer evidence that whites have a greater willingness to live in racially mixed neighbourhoods if they have black neighbours.…”

Section: Whites' Neighbourhood Racial Preferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whites' neighbourhood racial preferences and neighbourhood racial composition in the United States: evidence from the multi‐city study of urban inequality

Ihlanfeldt

Scafidi

2004

Housing Studies

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Within the housing segregation literature major disagreements have developed over two fundamental issues: (1) the role that whites' aversion to racially mixed neighbourhoods plays in causing modern segregation in the US; and (2) the factors that underlie this aversion, including the effects of inter-racial contact on whites' neighbourhood racial preferences and whether these preferences reflect neighbourhood stereotyping as opposed to pure racial prejudice. Extant evidence on these issues is either old or indirect. This paper provides direct evidence on these issues using new data from the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality. The results suggest that (1) whites' neighbourhood racial preferences play an important role in explaining the racial composition of their neighbourhoods; (2) inter-racial contact in neighbourhoods and workplaces leads to a greater willingness among whites to live with blacks; and (3) although younger and more educated whites express a stronger taste for integration than other whites, the magnitude of these differences leads to only a small increase in the black percentage of the neighbourhood. In addition, the results provide no evidence in support of the hypothesis that whites stereotype black neighbourhoods rather than blacks per se.

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Prejudice reduction or self‐selection? A test of the contact hypothesis

Cited by 51 publications

References 29 publications

Role of Perceived Importance in Intergroup Contact.

Role of Perceived Importance in Intergroup Contact.

How does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Meta‐analytic tests of three mediators

Whites' neighbourhood racial preferences and neighbourhood racial composition in the United States: evidence from the multi‐city study of urban inequality

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