How Contact Counteracts Societal Polarization
How does ingroup-outgroup contact reduce social and even political polarization? Despite the large number of studies on the well-known contact hypothesis, the current literature lacks experimental field evidence or even behavioral results. In this project, I examine this connection in an online environment, a venue where polarizations are particularly extreme. In collaboration with a non-governmental organization, English-speaking participants are randomly assigned to brief Zoom conversations with a person from a socially stigmatized group. The conversation will focus on one group membership, e.g., being Jewish, but other prejudiced group memberships may be indirectly reduced (e.g., female versus male Jews). The research component aims to examine how this contact intervention reduces prejudice by examining mechanisms of group identification, empathy, and a time-lagged measure of behavior change.
Date:
8 March 2023, 14:30 (Wednesday, 8th week, Hilary 2023)
Venue:
Butler Room
Venue Details:
This is a hybrid event--interested participants can attend in person or virtually via Zoom
Speaker:
Sandra Morgernstern (University of Mannheim)
Organising department:
Nuffield College
Organiser:
Noah Bacine (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
noah.bacine@nuffield.ox.ac.uk
Host:
Noah Bacine (University of Oxford)
Part of:
CESS Colloquium Series
Booking required?:
Recommended
Booking url:
https://cess-nuffield.nuff.ox.ac.uk/events/colloquium/sandra-morgenstern-university-of-mannheim/
Booking email:
noah.bacine@nuffield.ox.ac.uk
Audience:
Public
Editors:
Noah Bacine,
Martina Beretta
