`Where the rubber hits the road' en route to inter-group harmony: examining contact intentions and contact behaviour under meta-stereotype threat.
Although inter-group contact reduces prejudice, intra-group contact is most typically preferred. Understanding factors contributing to out-group avoidance, therefore, is imperative. Unlike previous correlational studies, other-stereotype (out-group is biased) and meta-stereotype (out-group sees one's in-group as biased) information was manipulated in an inter-group contact setting, at the personal (you/partner) or group (in-group/out-group) level. Whites under threat generally indicated positive expectations and intentions to approach Black interaction partners. However, at the behavioural level, personal meta-stereotype manipulations (your partner thinks you are biased) generated out-group avoidance several times stronger than in the other threat conditions. Implications for the development of prejudice interventions are discussed within an aversive racism framework.
Brock University, Ontario, Canada. cara.macinnis@brocku.ca
Cara
C
Macinnis
Gordon
G
Hodson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001290:Attitude; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011287:Prejudice; D057566:Self Report; D013240:Stereotyping; D055815:Young Adult