Glossary
Intergroup contact theory
What is intergroup contact theory?
Intergroup contact theory proposes that interaction between members of different groups can reduce prejudice. It is strongly associated with Gordon Allport’s account of favorable contact conditions.
Conditions and evidence
The four commonly cited conditions are
- equal status within the situation,
- common goals,
- intergroup cooperation,
- and support from authorities, law, or custom.
Research foundation
Pettigrew and Tropp’s 2006 meta-analysis examined 515 studies. Contact typically predicted less prejudice, with stronger average effects under favorable conditions; those conditions were not necessary in every study.
How contact may reduce prejudice
Researchers have tested three possible pathways: learning more about the other group, feeling less anxious about interacting with its members, and developing empathy or an ability to see their perspective. Pettigrew and Tropp’s 2008 meta-analysis of mediators found support for all three, with knowledge contributing less strongly than anxiety reduction and empathy.
This asks a different question from whether contact and prejudice are related: do changes in these proposed intermediate processes help account for that relationship? The evidence supports investigating these pathways; it does not establish that every encounter changes all three or that any one pathway guarantees reduced prejudice.
Example: a cooperative school project
A school could organize a project where students from different groups work toward a shared goal with equal standing and teacher support. This illustrates the favorable conditions; putting students in the same room is not the same as creating those conditions.
Why the conditions matter
The average finding does not mean every encounter reduces prejudice or every diversity program works. Examine the actual interaction and measure the outcome the program aims to change.