Abstract
Intergroup contact has long been established as a prejudice-reduction tool in divided societies, with contact being particularly effective during adolescence. A large proportion of evidence, however, draws on cross-sectional surveys or analytical approaches that do not distinguish between- and within-person effects. In the present research, we address this by exploring the potential of intergroup contact longitudinally on social cohesion related outcomes amongst youth (aged 14-19) in Belfast (Study 1, N = 231) and Bradford (Study 2, N = 169). Measures included intergroup contact, outgroup attitudes, intergroup anxiety, outgroup empathy, and outgroup prosocial behaviour across three time-points. Using Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models, results demonstrate between-person associations of contact with our outcomes, but limited within-person changes. Our findings demonstrate the potential and limitations of intergroup contact for social cohesion related outcomes for youth growing up in divided societies, pointing to the need for developmental-focused future research.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | European Journal of Social Psychology |
Early online date | 14 Oct 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 14 Oct 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Social Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.