The nature of prejudice change: Positive and negative change processes arising from intergroup contact experiences.

Abstract

This study sought to better understand the processes of change in prejudice-related attitudes and intergroup understanding that emerge from intergroup contact experiences. A grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyze interview data from two comparison groups: students who had (n = 14) and hadn't (n = 12) participated in an intergroup dialogue. Interview questions focused on the processes and factors involved in producing intergroup attitude change. Integrative data analyses across all interviews revealed that a core process of Connection versus Separation between the Self and the Other determines whether positive or negative change outcomes will result from intergroup contact. The degree of positive change was found to be related to the degree of intimacy of personal sharing involved in the intergroup contact, while negative change was related to the degree of pain associated with the intergroup contact experience (i.e., in the form of feeling judged, stereotyped, or treated unfairly by the Other). Four categories of positive change emerged from different levels of intimate personal sharing: Increased Comfort (through sharing time or small talk), Increased Connection/Friendship (through sharing common interests), Increased Understanding of Different Perspectives (through sharing perspectives on issues), and Increased Intergroup Understanding (through sharing identity-related personal experiences). Four categories of negative change emerged from the different levels of pain involved: Increased Stereotyping/Prejudice (no pain, just observations of differences), Separation (temporary pain that was resolved), Resentment (temporary pain confined to the past), and Disconnection (ongoing pain, conflicts with the Other). Dialogue participants experienced higher levels of both positive and negative change because they shared the most intimate information in their contact experiences, which put them in a position to learn more, but also be hurt by the Other. The findings inform intergroup contact theory by examining processes of change, and suggest a new condition (intimacy of personal sharing) and outcome measure (intergroup understanding) for positive intergroup contact effects. The results inform social work education and practice by suggesting strategies for addressing issues of diversity and oppression in schools of social work, as mandated by the Curriculum Policy Statements of the Council on Social Work Education.