title: Proximity under Threat: The Role of Physical Distance in Intergroup Relations.
abstract: Throughout human history, social groups have invested immense amounts of wealth and time to keep threatening out-groups at a distance. In the current research, we explored the relationship between intergroup threat, physical distance, and discrimination. Specifically, we examined how intergroup threat alters estimates of physical distance to out-groups and how physical proximity affects intergroup relations. Previous research has found that people judge threatening out-groups as physically close. In Studies 1 and 2, we examined ways to attenuate this bias. In Study 1 a secure (vs. permeable) US-Mexico border reduced the estimated proximity to Mexico City among Americans who felt threatened by Mexican immigration. In Study 2, intergroup apologies reduced estimates of physical proximity to a threatening cross-town rival university, but only among participants with cross-group friendships. In Study 3, New York Yankees fans who received an experimental induction of physical proximity to a threatening out-group (Boston Red Sox) had a stronger relationship between their collective identification with the New York Yankees and support for discriminatory policies toward members of the out-group (Red Sox fans) as well as how far they chose to sit from out-group members (Red Sox fans). Together, these studies suggest that intergroup threat alters judgment of physical properties, which has important implications for intergroup relations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, New York University, New York City, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Y Jenny
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5228-9916
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael J A
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wohl
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, New York University, New York City, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jay J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Van Bavel
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008800:Mexico; D012929:Psychological Distance; D014481:United States