Lowered anxiety mediates about a quarter of contact’s prejudice reduction

Evidence

Emotions such as anxiety and threat are especially important negative factors in the link between contact and prejudice (Blair, Park, & Bachelor, 2003; Stephan et al., 2002; Stephan & Stephan, 1992; Voci & Hewstone, 2003; see also Stephan & Stephan’s ch. 26 in this volume). Moreover, reducing anxiety during contact acts as an important mediator for contact’s effects on prejudice. Examining studies from our meta-analysis that tested for anxiety, we estimate that the mediation by lowered anxiety explains roughly one-fifth to one-fourth of contact’s effects in reducing prejudice (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2004b). — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1714

Categorization

• corroborated: 4 independent passages support this claim — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1714
• XREF: connects to: Negative outgroup contact raises anxiety, which breeds hostility and contact avoidance. — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup…, 47