Group Processes & Intergroup Relations

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here to register today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Aberson, C. L.
Right arrow Articles by Haag, S. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, Vol. 10, No. 2, 179-201 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1368430207074726
© 2007 SAGE Publications

Contact, Perspective Taking, and Anxiety as Predictors of Stereotype Endorsement, Explicit Attitudes, and Implicit Attitudes

Christopher L. Aberson, PhD

Humboldt State University, CLA18{at}humboldt.edu

Sarah C. Haag, PhD

University of Iowa

We proposed a model of intergroup contact wherein contact promotes understanding of outgroup perspectives, perspective taking relates to reduced intergroup anxiety that in turn is associated with lessened stereotyping and more positive intergroup attitudes. Additionally, we examined if implicit attitudes followed this model or were directly impacted by contact. White undergraduates (n = 153) completed measures of contact, perspective taking, intergroup anxiety, stereotype endorsement, and implicit and explicit intergroup attitudes. Our model fitted the data well but explained explicit attitudes and stereotyping better than implicit attitudes. Supporting an environmental association interpretation, contact was the only significant predictor of implicit attitudes. Findings support a dual-process model wherein implicit and explicit attitudes represent separate constructs and support the value of contact in improving intergroup attitudes.

Key Words: contact • evaluative associations • explicit attitudes • implicit attitudes

References

  • Aberson, C.L., Shoemaker, C., & Tomolillo, C.M. (2004). Implicit bias and contact: The role of interethnic friendships. Journal of Social Psychology , 144, 335—347.[ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Aiken, L.S., & West, S.G. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. London: Sage.
  • Allport, G.W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
  • Baron, R., & Kenny, D.A. (1986). The moderator—mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173—1182.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Batson, R.M., Polycarpou, M.P., Harmon-Jones, E., Imhoff, H.J., Mitchener, E.C., Bednar, L.L. et al. (1997). Empathy and attitudes: Can feelings for a member of a stigmatized group improve feelings toward the group? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 105—118.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Bentler, P.M. (1995). EQS: Structural equations program (Version 5.7) . Encino, CA: Multivariate Software .
  • Berrenberg, J.L., Finlay, K.A., Stephan, W.G., & Stephan, C.W. (2002). Prejudice toward people with cancer or AIDS: Applying the integrated threat model. Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research, 7, 75—86.[ISI]
  • Bizman, A., & Yinon, Y. (2001). Intergroup and interpersonal threats as determinants of prejudice: The moderating role of in-group identification. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 23, 191—196.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Black-Gutman, D., & Hickson, F. (1996). The relationship between racial attitudes and social-cognitive development in children: An Australian study. Developmental Psychology, 32, 448—456.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Blair, I.V., Ma, J.E., & Lenton, A.P. (2001). Imagining stereotypes away: The moderation of implicit stereotypes through mental imagery. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 828—841.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Blascovich, J., Mendes, W.B., Hunter, S.B., Lickel, S.B., & Kowai-Bell, N. (2001). Perceiver threat in social interactions with stigmatized others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 253—267.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Brown, R., Maras, P., Masser, B., Vivian, J., & Hewstone, M. (2001). Life on the ocean wave: Testing some intergroup hypotheses in a naturalistic setting. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 4, 81—97.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Buhl, T. (1999). Positive—negative asymmetry in social discrimination: Meta-analytical evidence. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 2, 51—58.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Corenblum, B., & Stephan, W.G. (2001). White fears and native apprehensions: An integrated threat theory approach to intergroup relations. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 33, 251—268.
  • Cunningham, W.A., Preacher, K.J., & Banaji, M.R. (2001). Implicit attitude measures: Consistency, stability, and convergent validity. Psychological Science, 12, 163—170.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Dasgupta, N., & Greenwald, A.G. (2001). On the malleability of automatic attitudes: Combating automatic prejudice with images of admired and disliked individuals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 800—814.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Davis, M.H. (1994). Empathy: A social psychological approach. Madison, WI: Brown and Benchmark.
  • Devine, P.G., Evett, S.R., & Vasquez-Suson, K. (1996). Exploring the interpersonal dynamics of intergroup contact. In R. Sorrentino & E.T. Higgins (Eds.). Handbook of motivation and cognition: The interpersonal context (Vol. 3, pp. 423—464). New York: Guilford.
  • Doyle, A.B., & Aboud, F.E. (1995). A longitudinal study of White children's racial prejudice as a socio-cognitive development. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 41, 209—228.
  • Easterbrook, J.A. (1959). The effect of emotion on the utilization and organization of behaviour. Psychological Review, 66, 183—201.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Fazio, R.H., & Olson, M.A. (2003). Implicit measures in social cognition research: Their meaning and use. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 297—327.
  • Fazio, R.H., & Towles-Schwen, T. (1999). The MODE model of attitude-behavior processes. In S. Chaiken & Y. Trope (Eds.), Dual process theories in social psychology (pp. 97—116). New York: Guilford.
  • Finlay, K.A., & Stephan, W.G. (2000). Improving intergroup relations: The effects of empathy on racial attitudes. Journal of Applied Social Psychology , 30, 1720—1737.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Fiske, S.T. (2004). Social beings: A core motives approach to social psychology. New York: Wiley. Gaertner, S. L., & Dovidio, J. F. (1981). Racism among the well-intentioned . In E. G. Clausen & J. Bermingham (Eds.), Pluralism, racism, and public policy: The search for equality (pp. 208—222). Boston : G. K. Hall.
  • Gaertner, S.L., & Dovidio, J.F. (1986). Prejudice, discrimination, and racism: Historical trends and contemporary approaches. In J. F. Dovidio & S. L. Gaertner (Eds.), Prejudice, discrimination, and racism (pp. 1—34). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.
  • Galinsky, A.D., & Ku, G. (2004). The effects of perspective taking on prejudice: The moderating role of self-evaluation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 599—604.
  • Galinsky, A.D., & Moskowitz, G.B. (2000). Perspective taking: Decreasing stereotype expression, stereotype accessibility, and ingroup favoritism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 708—724.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Gerhing, W.J., Karpinski, A., & Hilton, J.L. (2003). Thinking about interracial interactions. Nature Neuroscience, 6, 1241—1243.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Greenwald, A.G., & Banaji, M.R. (1995). Implicit social cognition: Attitudes, self-esteem, and stereotypes. Psychological Review, 102, 4—27[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Greenwald, A.G., McGhee, D.E., & Schwartz, J.L.K. (1998). Measuring individual differences in implicit cognition: The Implicit Association Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1464—1480.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Greenwald, A.G., Nosek, B.A., & Banaji, M.R. (2003). Understanding and using the implicit association test: 1. An improved scoring algorithm. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 197—216.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Gurin, P. (1999). Expert report of Patricia Gurin. Retrieved July 10, 2003, from http://www.umich.edu/~urel/admissions/legal/expert/summ.html.
  • Gurin, P., Nagda, B.A., & Lopez, G.E. (2004). The benefits of diversity in education for democratic citizenship. Journal of Social Issues, 60, 17—34.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Harwood, J., Hewstone, M., Paolini, S., & Voci, A. (2005). Grandparent—grandchild contact and attitudes toward older adults: Moderator and mediator effects. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31, 393—406.[Abstract]
  • Hewstone, M. (2002, August). Cross community contact, sectarian attitudes, and forgiveness in Northern Ireland. Paper presented at American Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.
  • Hewstone, M., & Brown, R. (1986). Contact is not enough: An intergroup perspective on the `contact hypothesis'. In M. Hewstone & R. Brown (Eds.), Contact and conflict in intergroup encounters (pp. 1—44). Oxford, UK: Basil Blackwell.
  • Hu, L-T., & Bentler, P.M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1—55.
  • Inquisit 1.29 [Computer software]. (2002). Seattle, WA: Millisecond Software.
  • Isen, A.M. (1984). Toward understanding the role of affect in cognition . In R. Wyer & T. Srull (Eds.), Handbook of social cognition (pp. 179—237). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Islam, R.M., & Hewstone, M. (1993). Dimensions of contact as predictors of intergroup anxiety, perceived out-group variability, and out-group attitude: An integrative model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 19, 700—710.[Abstract]
  • Jelenec, P., & Steffens, M.C. (2002). Implicit attitudes toward elderly women and men. Current Research in Social Psychology , 7, 275—293. Retrieved January 2, 2003 from http://www.uiowa.edu/~grpproc/crisp/crisp.7.16.html.
  • Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, R. (1989). Cooperation and competition: Theory and research. Edina, MN: Interaction.
  • Johnson, D.W., & Johnson, R. (2000). The three Cs of reducing prejudice and discrimination . In S. Oskamp (Ed.), Reducing prejudice and discrimination (pp.139—268). Mahwah,
  • NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Karpinski, A., & Hilton, J.L. (2001). Attitudes and the Implicit Association Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 774—788.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Kenny, D.A., & Judd, C.M. (1984). Estimating the nonlinear and interactive effects of latent variables. Psychological Bulletin, 96, 201—210.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Kenworthy, J., Turner, R.N., Hewstone, M., & Voci, A. (2005). Intergroup contact: When does it work, and why? In J. Dovidio, P. Glick, & L. Rudman (Eds.), On the nature of prejudice: Fifty years after Allport. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
  • Levin, S., van Laar, C., & Sidanius, J. (2003). The effects of ingroup and outgroup friendships on ethnic attitudes in college: A longitudinal study. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 6, 76—92.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Littleford, L.N., Wright, M.O., & Sayoc-Parial, M. (2005). White student's intergroup anxiety during same-race and interracial interactions: A multimethod approach . Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 27, 85—94.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Lowery, B.S., Hardin, C.D., & Sinclair, S. (2001). Social influence effects on automatic racial prejudice . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 842—855.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • MacCallum, R.C., & Austin, J.T. (2000). Applications of structural equation modeling in psychological research. Annual Review of Psychology, 51, 201—226.
  • MacCallum, R.C., Browne, M.W., & Sugawara, H.M. (1996). Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling. Psychological Methods, 1, 130—149.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • MacCallum, R.C., Wegener, D.T., Uchino, B.N., & Fabrigar, L.R. (1993). The problem of equivalent models in applications of covariance structure analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 114, 185—199.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • MacKinnon, D.P. (2000). Technical assistance report: Mediation analysis. Retrieved January 20, 2005, from Arizona State University, Research in Prevention Laboratory Web Site http://www.public.asu.edu/~davidpm/ripl/Mediation_Analysis.PDF.
  • MacKinnon, D.P., Krull, J.L., & Lockwood, C.M. (2000). Equivalence of the mediation, confounding, and suppression effects. Prevention Science, 1, 173—181.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • MacKinnon, D.P., Lockwood, C.M., Hoffman, J.M., West, S.G., & Sheets, V. (2002). A comparison of methods to test mediation and other intervening variable effects. Psychological Methods , 7, 83—104.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Nagda, B.A., & Zúñiga, X. (2003). Fostering meaningful racial engagement through intergroup dialogues. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations , 6, 111—128.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Paolini, S., Hewstone, M., Cairns, E., & Voci, A. (2004). Effects of direct and indirect cross-group friendships on judgments of Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland: The mediating role of an anxiety-reduction mechanism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 770—786.[Abstract]
  • Pettigrew, T.F. (1997). Generalized intergroup contact effects on prejudice . Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 173—185.[Abstract]
  • Pettigrew, T.F. (1998). Intergroup contact theory. Annual Review of Psychology, 49, 65—85.
  • Pettigrew, T.F., & Tropp, L.R. (2000). Does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Recent meta-analytic findings. In S. Oskamp (Ed.), Reducing prejudice and discrimination (pp. 93—114). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Plant, E.A. (2004). Responses to interracial interactions over time . Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 1458—1471.[Abstract]
  • Plant, E.A., & Devine, P.G. (2003). The antecedents and implications of interracial anxiety. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 790—801.[Abstract]
  • Plant, E.A., & Peruche, B.M. (2003, February). Reducing implicit bias: Making race irrelevant. Poster session presented at Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Universal City, CA.
  • Quintana, S.M., Ybarra, V.C., Gonzalez-Doupe, P., & De Baessa, Y. (2000). Cross-cultural evaluation of ethnic perspective taking ability: An exploratory investigation with US. Latino and Guatemalan Ladino children. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology , 6, 334—351.
  • Richeson, J.A., Baird, A.A., Gordon, H.L., Heatherton, T.F., Wyland, C.L., Trawalter, S. et al. (2003). An fMRI investigation of the impact of interracial contact on executive function. Nature Neuroscience , 6, 1323—1328.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Richeson, J.A., & Shelton, N. (2003). When prejudice does not pay: Effects of interracial contact on executive function. Psychological Science, 14, 287—290.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Rudman, L.A., Ashmore, R.D., & Gary, M.L. (2001). `Unlearning' automatic biases: The malleability of implicit prejudice and stereotypes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 856—868.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Schlenker, B.R., & Leary, M.R. (1982). Social anxiety and self-presentation: A conceptualization model. Psychological Bulletin, 92, 641—669.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Schumacker, R. E., & Marcoulides, G. A. (Eds.). (1998). Interaction and nonlinear effects in structural equations modeling. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Selman, R.L. (1980). The growth of interpersonal understanding: Developmental and clinical analyses. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
  • Shrout, P.E., & Bolger, N. (2002). Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods, 7, 422—445.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Stephan, C.W., Stephan, W.G., Demitrakis, K.M., Yamada, A.M., & Clason, D.L. (2000). Women's attitudes toward men: An integrated threat theory approach. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 24, 63—73.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Stephan, W.G. (2002). A survey for use in evaluating dialogue programs . Retrieved July 15, 2002 from http://www.westernjustice.org/dialogue_eval_i.htm.
  • Stephan, W.G., Boniecki, K.A., Ybarra, O., Bettencourt, A., Ervin, K.S., Jackson, L.A. et al. (2002). The role of threats in racial attitudes of Blacks and Whites. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , 28, 1242—1254.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Stephan, W.G., Diaz-Loving, R., & Duran, A. (2000). Integrated threat theory and intercultural attitudes: Mexico and the United States. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology , 31, 240—249.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  • Stephan, W.G., & Finlay, K. (1999). The role of empathy in improving intergroup relations . Journal of Social Issues, 55, 729—743.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Stephan, W.G., & Stephan, C.W. (1985) Intergroup anxiety. Journal of Social Issues, 41, 157—176.[ISI]
  • Stephan, W.G., & Stephan, C.W. (2000). An integrated threat theory of prejudice. In S. Oskamp (Ed.), Reducing prejudice and discrimination (pp. 23—46). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
  • Tabachnick, B.G., & Fidell, L.S. (2001). Using multivariate statistics (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon .
  • Teachman, B., & Brownell, K.D. (2001). Implicit anti-fat bias obese among health professionals: Is anyone immune? International Journal of Obesity, 25, 1—7.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Teachman, B., Gapinski, K.D., Brownell, K.D., Rawlins, M., & Jeyaram, S. (2003). Demonstration of implicit anti-fat bias: The impact of providing causal information and invoking empathy. Health Psychology, 22, 68—78.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Vescio, T.K., Sechrist, G.B., & Paolucci, M.P. (2003). Perspective taking and prejudice reduction: The mediational role of empathy arousal and situational attributions. European Journal of Social Psychology, 33, 455—472.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Voci, A., & Hewstone, M. (2003). Intergroup contact and prejudice toward immigrants in Italy: The mediational role of anxiety and the
  • moderational role of group salience. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 6, 37—54.
  • Wilder, D.A. (1993). The role of anxiety in facilitating stereotypic judgments of out-group behavior. In D. M. Mackie & D. L. Hamilton (Eds.), Affect, cognition, and stereotyping (pp. 87—109). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
  • Wilder, D.A., & Shapiro, P. (1989). Role of competition-induced anxiety in limiting the beneficial impact of positive behavior by an outgroup member. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56, 60—69.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Wilder, D.A., & Shapiro, P. (1991). Facilitation of outgroup stereotypes by enhanced ingroup identity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology , 27, 431—452.[CrossRef][ISI]
  • Wilson, T.D., Lindsey, S., & Schooler, T.Y. (2000). A model of dual attitudes . Psychological Review, 107, 101—126.[CrossRef][ISI][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
  • Paper received 10 June 2004; revised version accepted 18 July 2005.

Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?



This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Aberson, C. L.
Right arrow Articles by Haag, S. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?