Explaining the Secondary Transfer Effect

The Role of Personality Factors

Bibliographic Data

ID6434261
AuthorsLoris Vezzali (0000-0001-7536-9994, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Reggio Emilia Italy, corresponding author), Kim Dierckx (0000-0001-6589-9393, Ghent University Ghent Belgium), Elena Trifiletti (0000-0002-9203-507X, University of Verona Verona Italy), Veronica Margherita Cocco (0000-0002-1777-397X, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Reggio Emilia Italy), Alice Lucarini (0000-0001-6416-0677, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Reggio Emilia Italy), Dora Capozza (0000-0002-9322-8287, University of Padova Padova Italy), Richard N Turner (0000-0002-0393-8593, Queen's University of Belfast Belfast UK), Rhiannon Turner (Queen's University Belfast)
Year2025
Volume35
Issue6
Publication date2025-11-01
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.70197
OpenAlexW7106033228
LanguageEN
References cited84

The secondary transfer effect (STE) is based on the idea that contact with a primary outgroup may shape attitudes towards secondary outgroups uninvolved in the contact setting. Most research has investigated attitudes towards the primary outgroup as a mediator of the STE. We conducted one correlational and one three‐wave longitudinal study with Italian participants (Total N = 912), to test whether the secondary transfer effect can be explained at least partly by personality change. Specifically, we tested agreeableness and openness to experience as two facets of the five‐factor model of personality as possible mediators of the STE. Main findings across the two studies are that the quality of contact with immigrants (primary outgroup) is indirectly associated with attitudes towards dissimilar secondary outgroups (gay people, individuals with disabilities) via greater agreeableness and greater openness to experience (in Study 2, STE effects emerged at the within‐person level for openness only); effects for quantity of contact were inconsistent across studies. In general, the present findings show that (changes in) personality can underlie the STE. Implications of these findings for our understanding of the STE are discussed

Agreeableness · Big Five personality traits · Hierarchical structure of the Big Five · Ingroups and outgroups · Openness to experience · Outgroup · Personality · Education, Achievement, and Giftedness · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Social and Intergroup Psychology

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