Intergroup Contact as an Agent of Cognitive Liberalization

Hodson, G.; Crisp, R.J.; Meleady, R.; Earle, M.

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.

Citation

Hodson, G., Crisp, R., Meleady, R., & Earle, M. (2018). Intergroup Contact as an Agent of Cognitive Liberalization. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(5), 523-548. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617752324

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 12, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jul 13, 2018
• Publication Date: Sep 30, 2018
• Deposit Date: Dec 18, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 19, 2017
• Journal: Perspectives on Psychological Science
• Print ISSN: 1745-6916
• Electronic ISSN: 1745-6924
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 523-548
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617752324
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1342228