Contact Experiences Shape the Outcomes of Interethnic Differences: Elaborating Social Identity Theory

ABSTRACT

Analyses show that: (a) majority members are particularly prejudiced toward the most culturally distant out-groups (i.e. Poles and Iraqis), (b) unpleasant contact experiences enhance the capacity of ethnic characteristics to generate prejudice toward Poles and Iraqis (rather than toward Norwegians), and (c) pleasant contact experiences weaken the capacity of ethnic characteristics to generate prejudice toward Poles and Iraqis. Analyses were performed on a tailor-made experimental survey manipulating ethnic characteristics, fielded in Denmark in 2021 (N = 1,882). Findings suggest that social identity theory must incorporate insights into how social interaction affects the interethnic differences–prejudice relationship.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental Data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.1080/17449057.2023.2212559.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jens Peter Frølund Thomsen

Jens Peter Frølund Thomsen is Associate Professor in Political Behaviour, and he has published extensively on intergroup contact and reactions toward immigration.

Sebastian Wrang Lindemann Juhl

Sebastian Wrang Lindemann Juhl is a post-graduate student in political science and psychology.