Hodson, G. and Crisp, R. J. and Meleady, R. and Earle, M. (2018) 'Intergroup contact as an agent of cognitive liberalization.', Perspectives on psychological science., 13 (5). pp. 523-548.
Abstract
Intergroup contact is widely recognized as one of the most validated methods of improving attitudes toward out-groups. Yet what is intergroup contact “good for” beyond this function? To answer this question we take a panoramic view of the literature, beginning with the recognition that contact is multifaceted in both form (e.g., face-to-face, indirect, simulated) and outcome (e.g., attitudes, cognition, behavior). Taking this highly inclusive view of what contact is and what contact does suggests that it plays a fundamental role in the shaping of human cognition. An increasingly diverse body of research demonstrates that contact exerts a generalizing reaction across target out-groups, making respondents less inward looking and more open to experiences. Contact shapes ideology regarding how the world ought to operate (i.e., ideologies about social hierarchy or regulation); over time, it can promote new ways of problem-solving, enhance cognitive flexibility, and foster creativity. For these reasons, we believe that contact is a key liberalizing agent that shapes human cognition and experience; consequently, contact theory should now share the stage with other prominent theories (e.g., cognitive dissonance) that speak to a broader understanding of human nature.
Item Type: | Article |
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Full text: | (AM) Accepted Manuscript Download PDF (841Kb) |
Status: | Peer-reviewed |
Publisher Web site: | https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617752324 |
Publisher statement: | Hodson, G., Crisp, R. J., Meleady, R. & Earle, M. (2018). Intergroup Contact as an Agent of Cognitive Liberalization. Perspectives on Psychological Science 13(5): 523-548. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications. |
Date accepted: | 12 December 2017 |
Date deposited: | 19 December 2017 |
Date of first online publication: | 13 July 2018 |
Date first made open access: | 19 December 2017 |
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