Superficial intergroup contact can actually worsen rather than reduce prejudice

Evidence

Despite his optimism about the potential benefits of contact, Allport warned that superficial contact between members of different groups would, in fact, reinforce stereotypes, by failing to provide new information about each group, or via a self-fulfilling prophecy whereby cautious avoidance of intimacy is mutually interpreted as distrust or dislike, confirming initial suspicion. Thus he wrote, “the casual contact has left matters worse than before” (Allport, 1954/1979, p. 264). — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1795

Categorization

• ADDENDUM: Directly relevant to ‘On Sacrifice’ essay themes of how shallow ritual/contact stabilizes rather than transforms relations — the mirror image of genuine humanizing contact.
• XREF: connects to: Unprepared intergroup contact can backfire and worsen polarization.; Positive contact with hated out-groups can transform radicals — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 71