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Intergroup Contact Theory

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Abstract

Bringing members of different social groups into contact is thought to be as one of the most promising approaches for improving intergroup relations. Indeed, a plethora of studies has shown that this intergroup contact is an effective means not only to reduce mutual prejudice but also to increase trust and forgiveness. In this chapter, we will first review evidence for the effectiveness of intergroup contact and introduce different forms of intergroup contact – direct (i.e., face-to-face contact) as well as more indirect forms of contact (i.e., extended, vicarious, and imagined contact). We will then discuss moderators (e.g., types of in- and outgroup categorization) and mediators (e.g., intergroup anxiety and empathy) of contact effects as well as potential unintended effects of intergroup contact. Finally, we will summarize research on the effectiveness of intergroup contact interventions and give two examples of such interventions that have been implemented in the context of conflictual intergroup relations (i.e., Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Hutu-Tutsi conflict in Rwanda).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. FernUniversität in Hagen, Hagen, Germany

    Oliver Christ & Mathias Kauff

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  1. Oliver Christ
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  1. Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien/Knowledge Research Center and University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Kai Sassenberg

  2. Department of Psychology, Social Psychology program group, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Michael L. W. Vliek

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Christ, O., Kauff, M. (2019). Intergroup Contact Theory. In: Sassenberg, K., Vliek, M.L.W. (eds) Social Psychology in Action. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13788-5_10

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