Consequences of Diversity for Social Cohesion and Prejudice: The Missing Dimension of Intergroup Contact. (June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hewstone, Miles; Hunter, Andrea G.; Stewart, Abigail J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of social issues. Volume 71:Number 2(2015)
• Page Start: 417
• Page End: 438
• Publication Date: 2015-06
• Subjects: Social problems -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- 1945- -- Periodicals; Sociology; Psychology, Social; Problèmes sociaux -- Périodiques; Psychologie sociale -- Périodiques; États-Unis -- Conditions sociales -- 1945- -- Périodiques; Sociale psychologie; Electronic journals; 305
• DOI: 10.1111/josi.12120
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4537

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>A controversial claim that diversity has negative consequences for trust and other outcomes spawned a contentious debate in sociology and political science, but was hardly noted in social psychology. I summarize the debate, and argue that the efficacy of direct, face‐to‐face intergroup contact as a means of reducing prejudice is a stark omission, as I illustrate with evidence of the association between diversity, on the one hand, and trust, prejudice, and social capital on the other. I also consider two other contributions of contact theory to this issue, namely that contact with members of one group has an impact on attitudes toward members of other groups; and that contact should be studied via social networks. Despite the importance I attach to contact, I note two "enemies of contact, " resegregation in ostensibly desegregated settings, and negatively valenced contact. Finally, I point to the kind of research we should do, in order to increase the impact of our work on the public policy debate on this issue.</p> </abstract>