Open AccessOpen to Contact? Increased State Openness Can Lead to Greater Interest in Contact With Diverse Groups
Author(s) -
Victoria Hotchin,
Keon West
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
personality and social psychology bulletin
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.584
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1552-7433
pISSN - 0146-1672
DOI - 10.1177/01461672211030125
Subject(s) - openness to experience , psychology , prejudice (legal term) , trait , personality , social psychology , intellect , big five personality traits , affect (linguistics) , developmental psychology , communication , philosophy , theology , computer science , programming language
Contact is a reliable method of prejudice reduction. However, individuals higher in prejudice are less interested in contact with diverse groups. This research investigates a novel method of encouraging interest in contact, particularly for those lower in the personality trait of Openness/Intellect, who tend to be higher in prejudice. Although long-term traits are relatively stable, momentary personality states show considerable within-person variation, and can be manipulated. In two experimental studies (total N = 687), we tested whether inducing higher state Openness would affect interest in contact. In Study 1, those lower in trait Openness/Intellect showed a positive indirect effect of condition on two outcome measures, via greater state Openness. In a larger sample with lower trait Openness/Intellect (Study 2), the indirect effect on the first outcome was replicated, regardless of disposition. The findings suggest that experiencing open states more frequently could encourage contact and lead to eventual reductions in prejudice.