Groups in Contact

Groups in Contact: The Psychology of Desegregation uses the contact hypothesis as a point of departure and provides new data obtained in a variety of social contexts. The contact hypothesis states that attitudes toward a disliked social group will become more positive with increased interpersonal interaction. The various chapters provide a picture of the desegregation process as a complex interplay between the cognitive processes within the individual and the structural features of the social environment. What emerges is an expanded theory of contact based on social categorization and social comparison processes.
The book is organized into three parts. The chapters in Part I deal with issues of intergroup contact in a wide range of cultures and settings, each focusing on a particular social or political factor that influences receptivity to intergroup interaction and affects its outcomes. The chapters in Part II review the effects of specific interventions that have been introduced into desegregation settings with the intent of improving intergroup acceptance in those settings. Part III provides a systematic integration of the preceding chapters within a common theoretical framework.
Although this book is written primarily from the perspective of social psychology, it is intended for students of intergroup relations in all disciplines. It was also written with policymakers, as well as social science researchers, in mind.

Contenu

Contributors
Foreword
Preface

1. The Social Psychology of Desegregation: an Introduction
   Introduction
   Overview of the Volume
   References
   Part I. Issues In Desegregation Research
   
   2. Cultural Relations in Plural Societies: Alternatives to Segregation and Their Sociopsychological Implications
      A Model of Cultural Relations in Plural Societies
      The Societal Context of Cultural Relations
      Studies of Cultural Contact in Canada
      References
   3. Links between Educational Status and Prejudice: Ethnic Attitudes in West Germany
      Overview
      Background
      Study I: an Initial Exploration of Cognitive Mediators
      Study II: Cognitive and Motivational Factors
      Contacts and Attitudes
      References
   4. Interethnic Relations and Education: an Israeli Perspective
      Historical Background
      Course of the Chapter
      Patterns of Acceptance and Rejection
      Schools before Reform
      Introduction of School Integration
      Outcomes of the Educational Reform
      Integration as a Situational Contingent
      Supportive Intervention
      A Look to the Future: a Theory of Perceived Inequality
      References
   5. The Desegregated School: Problems in Status Power and Interethnic Climate
      Academic and Racial Status
      The Status Equalization Project
      Black Power as a Natural Treatment
      Interracial Conflict
      The Teacher as a Factor in Classroom Status
      Origins of Minority Group Influence
      Conclusions
      References
   6. Desegregation of Suburban Neighborhoods
      Introduction
      Segregation in Suburbia: Context and Issues
      Desegregation of Suburban Neighborhoods: Initial Response to Black Neighbors
      Desegregation of Suburban Neighborhoods: Long-Term Effects
      Discussion
      References
   7. The Trajectory of Local Desegregation Controversies and Whites' Opposition to Busing
      Models of Opposition to Busing
      Self-Interest
      Symbolic Racism
      An Over-Time Analysis
      Discussion
      References
      Part II. Improving Outcomes of Desegregation in Specific Settings
   8. Cooperative Interaction in Multiethnic Contexts
      A Laboratory Test of the Overall Contact Hypothesis
      Cooperation in the Attainment of Personal Goals among Mothers in an Interracial Preschool
      Cooperative Interdependence in Ethnically Heterogeneous Classroom Groups
      Other Studies of Cooperating Groups in Multiethnic Schools
      Experiments on the Determinants of Respect and Liking in Cooperating Interracial Laboratory Groups
      Summary
      References
   9. Goal Interdependence and Interpersonal Attraction in Heterogeneous Classrooms: a Metanalysis
      Goal Interdependence
      Goal Interdependence and Interpersonal Attraction
      Findings from Other Studies
      Summary and Conclusions
      Practical Implications
      References
      Appendix A: Studies Included in Metanalysis: Cross-Ethnic
      Appendix B: Studies Included in Metanalysis: Mainstreaming
   10. Intergroup Acceptance in Classroom and Playground Settings
       Preliminary Field Studies
       A Field Experiment
       References
   11. The Role of Ignorance in Intergroup Relations
       Ignorance and Prejudice: Early Work
       Reexamination of Ignorance as a Cause of Prejudice
       Causal Model of Ignorance and Prejudice
       Conclusion
       References
   12. Training for Desegregation in the Military
       A Model of Interethnic Behavior
       The Response to the Problem: Inception of the Program at the Defense Department
       Military Race Relations Training Evaluated
       References
       Part III. Conclusion
   13. Beyond the Contact Hypothesis: Theoretical Perspectives on Desegregation
       Social Identity Theory
       Alternative Process Models
       References
       Author Index
       Subject Index