Disentangling intergroup contact: how negative intergroup experiences shape intergroup relations over time.

• Applicant: Dr. Sarina J. Schäfer
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 543813660

Traditionally, intergroup contact research has focused on positive intergroup contact. But when members of different social groups meet, they might also make negative intergroup experiences. Research examining the joint effects of negative alongside positive intergroup contact on intergroup relations is an emerging field. First findings thereby demonstrate that indeed negative intergroup contact might sometimes undermine the positive effects found in the intergroup contact literature. Yet, to date, evidence in this field is scarce and yields mixed results. Seven studies and two pretests will rely on innovative methods to provide evidence to this nascent field of research. We will use video-games specifically developed to examine multiple intergroup interactions and electronic diary studies over three to 26 weeks. All studies will provide important evidence to the role of negative intergroup experiences in shaping intergroup relations over different time spans. We will examine whether and how negative experiences influence intergroup relations directly and by affecting the effects of subsequent intergroup experiences. The planned research will furthermore advance intergroup contact research along three major strands: 1. All planned studies will differentiate between single instances of intergroup interactions and overall representations of valenced intergroup contact over larger timespans. We furthermore differentiate between interactions with unknown and familiar groups to shed light on the role of valenced intergroup interactions and overall intergroup contact for attitude formation and attitude change. 2. The three work-packages are organized by the timespan they address. The first work-package will address the interplay of multiple intergroup interactions over short time spans of less than an hour, while the second will extend the examined timespan to two to four weeks, and the last work-package will close the gap to previous longitudinal work on intergroup contact with timescales of three to six months. These designs will allow us advance our theoretical understanding and provide empirical evidence on which timespans would be relevant for the effects of intergroup interactions and intergroup contact to occur. 3. We will address recent calls to go beyond attitude measures to assess the relevance of joint effects of positive and negative intergroup contact. Wherever possible, the planned studies will include direct behavioral measures as well as measures relevant to modern societies, such as voting intentions and intergroup trust. To summarize, the project will deepen our understanding of the joint effects of positive and negative intergroup experiences on intergroup relations. The planned research will foster important theoretical advancements and provide evidence for basic social psychological research. Thereby, it will lay pathways for societal interventions to improve intergroup relations in diverse societies.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants