Unprepared intergroup contact can backfire and worsen polarization.

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 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Effective intergroup contact requires seven preconditions in political contexts. — Rachel Hartman et al., Interventions to Reduce Partisan…, 45; Superficial intergroup contact can actually worsen rather than reduce prejudice — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 1795; Ignoring group membership during contact does not improve intergroup attitudes — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 1817 (+8 more)

Broader Connections

• Superficial intergroup contact can actually worsen rather than reduce prejudice #corroborates (0.95) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1795
• Mere intergroup contact without equal status worsened racial prejudice #corroborates (0.92)
• Superficial intergroup contact reinforces rather than reduces stereotypes #corroborates (0.90)
• Ignoring group membership during contact does not improve intergroup attitudes #corroborates (0.80) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1817
• Decategorized contact risks failing to improve attitudes toward the outgroup as a whole. #qualifies (0.80) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1809
• Intergroup contact’s usefulness depends on attitude change generalizing beyond the immediate situation. #qualifies (0.75) — Thomas F. Pettigrew, Linda R. Tropp, A Meta-Analytic Test of Intergroup…, 51