Indirect Contact and Collective Action Among Disadvantaged Groups: A Multi-Level Mini-Meta-Analysis

Abstract

It is well established that positive contact between members of different groups can reduce prejudice. However, there is also evidence that direct contact with advantaged group members can undermine disadvantaged group members' engagement in collective action. Also, considerable evidence shows that effective contact need not be direct. Mere knowledge of cross-group friendships (extended contact) or observing positive contact (vicarious contact) can also reduce prejudice. This raises the question of whether these indirect forms of contact might also undermine collective action. We conducted a mini-meta-analysis of eight unpublished studies, including a range of intergroup contexts and samples, that measured indirect contact with advantaged group members and collective action among disadvantaged groups. We found a small but significant relationship that was consistently negative but varied in size depending on how indirect contact was measured. Contrary to expectation, more indirect contact predicted reductions in normative forms of collective action as strongly as radical forms.