Negative outgroup contact raises anxiety, which breeds hostility and contact avoidance.

Evidence

Plant and Devine (2003) examined both antecedents and consequences of intergroup anxiety and found that unfavorable outgroup contact and negative expectancies both led to increases in intergroup anxiety. As intergroup anxiety increased so did hostility and the desire to avoid contact with outgroup members. — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 47

Categorization

• XREF: Supports the causal chain in the MOC: negative expectancies → anxiety → hostility/avoidance; echoes avoidance dynamics central to threat-perception argument. — connects to: Avoidance of outgroup members can stem from anxiety and unease rather than hatred — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 2254; Intergroup anxiety is fueled by anticipated negative contact and by symbolic and realistic threats.; Lowered anxiety mediates about a quarter of contact’s prejudice reduction — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1714 (+14 more)

Broader Connections

• Intergroup anxiety produces information biases, defensiveness, and avoidance of future contact #corroborates (0.92)
• Avoidance of outgroup members can stem from anxiety and unease rather than hatred #expands (0.90) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2254
• Intergroup anxiety is fueled by anticipated negative contact and by symbolic and realistic threats. #expands (0.85)
• Anxiety and threat block both intergroup contact and its benefits #corroborates (0.85) — Thomas F. Pettigrew, Intergroup Contact Theory, 94
• Intergroup anxiety arises from anticipated negative consequences and perceived threats #expands (0.85) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1832
• Unprepared intergroup contact can backfire and worsen polarization. #corroborates (0.85)
• Salient categorization during intergroup contact can breed anxiety rather than reduce prejudice. #corroborates (0.85) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1811
• Group anger drives confrontation while fear drives avoidance #qualifies (0.82) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 339
• Lowered anxiety mediates about a quarter of contact’s prejudice reduction #expands (0.80) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1714
• Emphasizing group categories during contact risks increasing anxiety and fear. #qualifies (0.80) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1811
• Intergroup contact reduces prejudice more strongly than prejudice drives avoidance of contact #complicates (0.80) — Thomas F. Pettigrew, Linda R. Tropp, A Meta-Analytic Test of Intergroup…, 37
• Lack of prior intergroup contact produces measurable anxiety about future contact #expands (0.78) — Patricia Hopkins, Developing an Intergroup Anxiety toward…, 1279
• Perceived threat from a weak outgroup triggers anger; from a powerful one, fear #qualifies (0.78) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1582
• Intergroup contact asymmetries moderate how much anxiety shapes outgroup attitudes by status #qualifies (0.78) — Blake M. Riek, Eric W. Mania, and Samuel L. Gaertner, Intergroup Threat and Outgroup Attitudes, 130
• Perceived outgroup threats damage intergroup relations even without hostility #qualifies (0.75) — Walter G. Stephan, Oscar Ybarra, Kimberly Rios Morrison, Intergroup Threat Theory, 38