{"title":"Solving online conflicts by sensing the other. The role of social presence and closeness in improving the effectiveness of online intergroup contact","authors":"Chiara Imperato , Tiziana Mancini , Yair Amichai-Hamburger","doi":"10.1016/j.ijintrel.2024.102036","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>While intergroup contact in online contexts has been acknowledged as effective in reducing stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, i.e. intergroup bias, the underlying processes remain unclear. This study focuses on intersubjective processes and tests perceived social presence and closeness, as a means for strengthening the effects of online intergroup contact on attitudes towards the outgroup member and intergroup bias. We conducted a pre-post multigroup (White and Black) study on 267 participants (females n = 162, 60.7%; <em>M</em><sub><em>age</em></sub> = 22.19, <em>SD</em> = 4.90) who chatted online with a fictitious outgroup member (online bot). Multigroup path analysis results showed that, regardless of the participant’s membership in the majority group (White people) or minority group (Black people), social presence and closeness, i.e. intersubjective processes occurring during online intergroup contact, are positively related to attitude toward the outgroup member, but not to intergroup bias, which is positively related to attitude toward the outgroup member. Theoretical implications for the literature on online intergroup contact will be discussed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48216,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","volume":"102 ","pages":"Article 102036"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147176724001056/pdfft?md5=8e1a41ecaa7a0b90d7f9ea91963bf65d&pid=1-s2.0-S0147176724001056-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Intercultural Relations","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147176724001056","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
While intergroup contact in online contexts has been acknowledged as effective in reducing stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination, i.e. intergroup bias, the underlying processes remain unclear. This study focuses on intersubjective processes and tests perceived social presence and closeness, as a means for strengthening the effects of online intergroup contact on attitudes towards the outgroup member and intergroup bias. We conducted a pre-post multigroup (White and Black) study on 267 participants (females n = 162, 60.7%; Mage = 22.19, SD = 4.90) who chatted online with a fictitious outgroup member (online bot). Multigroup path analysis results showed that, regardless of the participant’s membership in the majority group (White people) or minority group (Black people), social presence and closeness, i.e. intersubjective processes occurring during online intergroup contact, are positively related to attitude toward the outgroup member, but not to intergroup bias, which is positively related to attitude toward the outgroup member. Theoretical implications for the literature on online intergroup contact will be discussed.
期刊介绍:
IJIR is dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding of theory, practice, and research in intergroup relations. The contents encompass theoretical developments, field-based evaluations of training techniques, empirical discussions of cultural similarities and differences, and critical descriptions of new training approaches. Papers selected for publication in IJIR are judged to increase our understanding of intergroup tensions and harmony. Issue-oriented and cross-discipline discussion is encouraged. The highest priority is given to manuscripts that join theory, practice, and field research design. By theory, we mean conceptual schemes focused on the nature of cultural differences and similarities.