The Longitudinal Effects of Intergroup Contact on Youth Attitudes Towards Ethnic Minorities and Constructive Societal Engagement

Bibliographic Data

ID6434232
AuthorsChristoph Daniel Schaefer (0000-0003-4349-586X, University of Oxford Oxford UK), Shelley Mckeown (0000-0002-3837-3692, University of Oxford Oxford UK, corresponding author), Shazza Ali (0000-0002-2835-8763, University of Bristol Bristol UK), P L Dupont (0000-0003-1610-4667, Swansea University), Pier‐Luc Dupont (Swansea University Swansea UK), David Manley (0000-0003-1864-5141, University of Bristol Bristol UK), Sumedh Rao (0000-0002-7723-1216, University of Oxford Oxford UK), Laura K Taylor (0000-0002-2353-2398, University College Dublin Dublin Ireland)
Year2024
Volume35
Issue1
Publication date2024-12-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Community & Applied Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1052-9284 • E-ISSN: 1099-1298
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/casp.70026
OpenAlexW4405121245
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited51

Growing empirical evidence demonstrates that intergroup contact has the potential to reap effects that go beyond prejudice reduction. Much of this evidence, however, is based on findings from cross‐sectional surveys. Building on the relatively smaller body of longitudinal intergroup contact research, we conduct a three‐time point survey amongst youth in Northern Ireland to determine whether frequent and good‐quality interactions with ethnic minority groups are associated with later reports on: (1) attitudes towards ethnic minorities, (2) prosocial behaviour towards ethnic minorities, and (3) civic engagement. Data were collected over the period of a school year amongst youth living in Belfast ( n = 420, M age; T1 = 14.9 years) and analysed using longitudinal path analyses and structural equation models in Mplus. Results demonstrate a lagged effect of higher‐quality contact on more positive attitudes towards ethnic minorities over the school year. There was also a lagged effect of more frequent contact on self‐reported prosocial behaviour in support of ethnic minorities. No lagged effects were observed of intergroup contact on civic engagement. Findings highlight the potential longitudinal effects of intergroup contact on attitudes and behaviours towards ethnic minorities

Constructive · Contact hypothesis · Contact theory · Ethnic group · Longitudinal study · Sociology · Anthropology · Cultural Differences and Values · Gender Diversity and Inequality · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology

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