Conflict Reduction- Contact Hypothesis

Question 1

Contact hypothesis focused on…

Answer 1

Concerned with reducing intergroup discrimination and prejudice between groups i.e. racial desegregation (Allport, 1954). It is not familiarity that breeds contempt but rather a lack of familiarity that does.

Question 2

Hostility between groups, according to Sherif (1961) in ‘Robbers Cave’ occurs when…

Answer 2

When competitive activities were introduced.

Question 3

Dixon Rosenbaum (2004) contributed to the contact hypothesis by saying

Answer 3

…contact with minority groups undo negative stereotypes

Question 4

Mancini et al. (2015) says there are four types of contact. What are they?

Answer 4

• employment
• knowing three minorities by name
• close friendship
• dating

Question 5

According to Mancini et al. (2015) the four types of contact between groups predicted what about black criminality?

Answer 5

That it predicted reduced prejudicial views about Black Criminality.

Question 6

How can the contact hypothesis succeed in conflict reduction between groups? Give explanation for each condition of promoting this success.

Answer 6

1. integration & support of authority figure - social norms + intergroup acceptance (someone who is neu.)
2. High levels of acquaintance potential - promotion of intergroup intimate contact i.e. changing the view that everyone in that group is the same.
3. Equal status interactions - negative stereotypes between groups are based on inequality (linked to relative deprivation). Allows us to reconsider stereotypes.
4. Cooperative interdependence between groups - groups should engage in tasks together, where success is impossible independently. Here, minimising social distance.
5. Multiple members - to have contact with many members of another group to disconfirm stereotypes of the entire group.
6. Informal setting - groups tend to be more relaxed in natural surroundings. Also, intergroup contact in a formal setting even if successful, leaving that setting it cannot be applied to the ‘real world’. Teach that contact can happen in the natural environment.

Question 7

What are the six conditions in the contact hypothesis for successful conflict reduction?

Answer 7

1. integration & support of authority figure
2. High levels of acquaintance potential
3. Equal status interactions
4. Cooperative interdependence between groups
5. Multiple members
6. Informal setting

Question 8

What are some issues and barriers that Rovenpor et al., (2017) points out which makes conflict so hard to resolve?

Answer 8

• Conflict self-perpetuates by serving as a source of meaning “conflict can lead to greater meaning in life” therefore support further conflict.
• Intergenerational transfer occurs (reminders of past conflict) leading to a sense of meaning, pride etc.
• Greater meaning is derived from conflict in highly salient violent conflict i.e. WWII, which increases support for conflict escalation.

Question 9

‘Intergenerational Transfer’ about conflict - Rovenpor et al. (2017) is defined as…

Answer 9

transmission of something from a member of one generation to a member of another.

Question 10

For the ‘extended contact hypothesis’, Zhou et al. (2018) suggested that cross-group friendships, or the knowledge of these friendships can improve what?

Answer 10

facilitating tolerance and positive regard

Question 11

What good can come from experiencing extended contact?

Answer 11

It can improve intergroup attitudes and the perceptions of out-group variability and competitive victimhood.

Question 12

How does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? (Al Ramaih & Hewstone, 2013)

Answer 12

• reducing intergroup anxiety i.e. understanding their perspective
• increasing empathy
• increasing knowledge
• group-oriented perceived threat as we are less likely to see the group as threatening.

Question 13

Decategorization theory suggest what? What does it lead to? (Brewer & Miller, 1984)

Answer 13

That when we have in and out-groups in society, we have a membership to the in-group and it tends to lead to is deindividuation.

Question 14

what are the issues with recategorization and decategorization?

Answer 14

tightly-knit groups
lack of desire to become ‘we’
two groups who do not want to be together will see it as a threat and more conflict.
can result in greater segregation if taking away the group membership
where positive self-regard is the results of distinct identities, a new identity will fail.

Question 15

Define Mutual Differentiation.

Answer 15

Used to bring together groups despite difficulties. Cooperative interactions have to promote intergroup distinctiveness. Groups having distinct but complimentary roles in cooperation with each other.

Question 16

What is the difference between decategorization features and that of Contact Hypothesis?

Answer 16

Decategoriztion begins at the individual level and filters up the group level.