THE EXTENDED CONTACT EFFECT - KNOWLEDGE OF CROSS-GROUP FRIENDSHIPS AND PREJUDICE

The extended contact hypothesis proposes that knowledge that an in-gro up member has a close relationship with an out-group member can lead t o more positive intergroup attitudes. Proposed mechanisms are the in-g roup or out-group member serving as positive exemplars and the inclusi on of the out-group member's group membership in the self. In Studies 1 and 2, respondents knowing an in-group member with an cut-group frie nd had less negative attitudes toward that our-group, even controlling for dispositional variables and direct out-group friendships. Study 3 , with constructed intergroup-conflict situations (on the robbers cave model), found reduced negative out-group attitudes after participants learned of cross-group friendships. Study 4, a minimal group experime nt, showed less negative out-group attitudes for participants observin g an apparent in-group-out-group friendship.