A large-scale test of the link between intergroup contact and support for social change

Tabea Hässler (), Johannes Ullrich, Michelle Bernardino, Nurit Shnabel, Colette Van Laar, Daniel Valdenegro, Simone Sebben, Linda R. Tropp, Emilio Paolo Visintin, Roberto González, Ruth K. Ditlmann, Dominic Abrams, Hema Preya Selvanathan, Marija Branković, Stephen Wright, Jorina Zimmermann, Michael Pasek, Anna Lisa Aydin, Iris Žeželj, Adrienne Pereira, Nóra Anna Lantos, Mario Sainz, Andreas Glenz, Hana Oberpfalzerová, Michal Bilewicz, Anna Kende, Olga Kuzawinska, Sabine Otten, Edona Maloku, Masi Noor, Pelin Gul, Jessica Pistella, Roberto Baiocco, Margareta Jelic, Evgeny Osin, Orly Bareket, Dinka Corkalo Biruski, Jonathan E. Cook, Maneeza Dawood, Lisa Droogendyk, Angélica Herrera Loyo, Kaltrina Kelmendi and Luiza Mugnol Ugarte
Additional contact information
Tabea Hässler: University of Zurich
Johannes Ullrich: University of Zurich
Michelle Bernardino: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Nurit Shnabel: Tel Aviv University
Colette Van Laar: University of Leuven
Daniel Valdenegro: University of Leeds
Simone Sebben: University of Zurich
Linda R. Tropp: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Emilio Paolo Visintin: University of Ferrara
Roberto González: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Ruth K. Ditlmann: WZB Berlin Social Science Center
Dominic Abrams: University of Kent
Hema Preya Selvanathan: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Marija Branković: Singidunum University
Stephen Wright: Simon Fraser University
Jorina Zimmermann: University College London
Michael Pasek: The New School for Social Research
Anna Lisa Aydin: Goethe University
Iris Žeželj: University of Belgrade
Adrienne Pereira: University of Ferrara
Nóra Anna Lantos: ELTE Eötvös Loránd University
Mario Sainz: University of Granada
Andreas Glenz: University of Zurich
Hana Oberpfalzerová: Charles University
Michal Bilewicz: University of Warsaw
Anna Kende: ELTE Eötvös Loránd University
Olga Kuzawinska: University of Warsaw
Sabine Otten: University of Groningen
Edona Maloku: Social Sciences Unit, Rochester Institute of Technology in Kosovo
Masi Noor: Keele University
Pelin Gul: Iowa State University
Jessica Pistella: Sapienza University of Rome
Roberto Baiocco: Sapienza University of Rome
Margareta Jelic: University of Zagreb
Evgeny Osin: National Research University Higher School of Economics
Orly Bareket: Tel Aviv University
Dinka Corkalo Biruski: University of Zagreb
Jonathan E. Cook: The Pennsylvania State University
Maneeza Dawood: Columbia University in the City of New York
Lisa Droogendyk: Sheridan College
Angélica Herrera Loyo: ETH Zurich
Kaltrina Kelmendi: University of Pristina
Luiza Mugnol Ugarte: D’OR Institute for Research and Education

Nature Human Behaviour, 2020, vol. 4, issue 4, 380-386

Abstract: Abstract Guided by the early findings of social scientists, practitioners have long advocated for greater contact between groups to reduce prejudice and increase social cohesion. Recent work, however, suggests that intergroup contact can undermine support for social change towards greater equality, especially among disadvantaged group members. Using a large and heterogeneous dataset (12,997 individuals from 69 countries), we demonstrate that intergroup contact and support for social change towards greater equality are positively associated among members of advantaged groups (ethnic majorities and cis-heterosexuals) but negatively associated among disadvantaged groups (ethnic minorities and sexual and gender minorities). Specification-curve analysis revealed important variation in the size—and at times, direction—of correlations, depending on how contact and support for social change were measured. This allowed us to identify one type of support for change—willingness to work in solidarity— that is positively associated with intergroup contact among both advantaged and disadvantaged group members.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41562-019-0815-z

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