Comparing story reading and video watching as two distinct forms of vicarious contact: An experimental intervention among elementary school children. (17th July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cocco, Veronica Margherita; Bisagno, Elisa; Di Bernardo, Gian Antonio; Cadamuro, Alessia; Riboldi, Sara Debora; Crapolicchio, Eleonora; Trifiletti, Elena; Stathi, Sofia; Vezzali, Loris
• Is Part Of: British journal of social psychology. Volume 60:Part 1(2021)
• Page Start: 74
• Page End: 94
• Publication Date: 2020-07-17
• Subjects: children -- indirect contact -- intergroup relations -- prejudice reduction -- vicarious contact; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12404
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-6665

Abstract

Abstract : Research has shown that vicarious contact, that is observing an interaction between ingroup and outgroup members, can improve intergroup relations. Although vicarious contact has been operationalized in different ways, mainly via story reading or video watching, an experimental comparison of these different strategies is still missing. We conducted a school intervention with the aim of comparing the two most used forms of vicarious contact, namely story reading and video watching. Elementary schoolchildren without disabilities ( N = 292) were assigned to one of three different conditions: reading a story; watching a video; control. In the two vicarious contact conditions, participants read or watched the story of a child with disability becoming friends with children without disabilities; in the control condition, participants only completed the dependent measures. Results revealed that, in general, both vicarious contact conditions were equally effective in improving outgroup attitudes and behavioural intentions. In addition, they operated with the same strength through the same underlying processes (IOS, ingroup norms). We discuss theoretical and practical implications in the context of vicarious contact as a prejudice‐reduction intervention.