Learning About Outgroups: The Impact of Broad Versus Deep Interactions

Anujit Chakraborty, Arkadev Ghosh, Matt Lowe, Gareth Nellis and Matthew Lowe

No 11363, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: We hypothesize that broad contact, involving brief interactions with multiple outgroup members, and deep contact, meaning longer interactions with a single outgroup member, play distinct roles in shaping intergroup relations. We set up a factory in India and recruited Hindu and Muslim men to work in pairs on joint production tasks. We randomly assigned participants to work either with the same ingroup or outgroup partner daily (deep contact), a different outgroup partner each day (broad contact), or to a control group. While deep contact strengthens social and economic ties with the outgroup partner interacted with, only broad contact reduces misperceptions about outgroup strangers. These findings align with a model in which independent sampling (observing multiple outgroup members) promotes learning about outgroups more than prolonged interaction with a single individual does. Nevertheless, neither type of contact changes behavior toward the wider outgroup.

Keywords: intergroup contact; social learning; religion; productivity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 D91 J15 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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