Additive and multiplicative effects of different forms of positive and negative indirect intergroup contact in predicting intergroup attitudes

Abstract

Numerous studies found that different forms of positive indirect intergroup contact relate to people’s intergroup attitudes. Much less work has explored whether negative forms of indirect contact predict intergroup attitudes and even less evidence exists on the co-occurrence of direct and indirect forms of intergroup contact and, thus, the expected joint impact of a combination of interventions. We explore the additive effects of four types of indirect contact in predicting intergroup attitudes: extended contact, vicarious contact, mass-mediated contact, and virtual vicarious contact through social media. We also explore whether the effects of indirect contact are stronger when people have less direct contact. For each type, we measure positive and negative contact experiences. Data come from two studies (N₁ = 785; N₂ = 858) asking native Dutch respondents about indirect contact experiences with members of immigrant communities. We find that observing positive intergroup interactions in real life, on mass media, and, to a weaker extent, on social media has additive positive associations with intergroup attitudes. Positive extended contact has only an added effect in Study 1. Of the negative indirect forms of contact, only negative vicarious contact predicts outgroup attitudes. No consistent multiplicative effects appeared across the studies, suggesting that indirect contact effects are not stronger for those with less direct contact. We conclude that observing contact (vicarious contact) may be more impactful than merely knowing of it (extended contact).