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Intergroup Ratio and the Contact Hypothesis 1
Author(s) -
Nesdale Drew,
Todd Patricia
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1998.tb01674.x
Subject(s) - residence , contact theory , social contact , psychology , social psychology , contact hypothesis , ethnic group , relation (database) , intercultural communication , sociology , demography , pedagogy , anthropology , engineering , structural engineering , database , computer science
This study assessed whether contact between members of 2 social groups generalized to contact in another setting, as well as influenced their intercultural knowledge and acceptance. Subjects were 244 international (mainly ethnic Chinese) and Anglo‐Australian students living in 3 student residence halls, with each group comprising a numerical majority, equal proportion, and a numerical minority in one of the residential halls. As anticipated, group ratio exerted a systematic effect on the amount of intercultural contact, with most contact by members of a numerical minority, regardless of student group. Importantly, the pattern of residence‐hall contact tended to generalize to the wider university environment and to influence intercultural knowledge and acceptance. However, contact was not unqualified in its effects, particularly in relation to members of the cultural majority.