Intergroup Contact Theory

Intergroup Contact

The United States is a multicultural society characterized by one of the most diverse ethnic and cultural populations around the globe. As the dynamic shifts in the American population following the liberalization of the immigration law in 1965 continue to unfold and enrich America's cultural diversity, understanding intergroup contacts in a cross-cultural context is a research subject of urgency. Although it is imperative for all ethnic groups to live harmoniously in support of unity in the midst of this demographic change, the strategy to preserve high-quality intergroup relationships has always been the focus of a heated debate.

The intergroup contact theory developed by Allport can be used to comprehend the complex contact process that involves members of various groups. Widely used to explain relationship dynamics, the theory is formulated based on the premise that communication through contact is bound to increase understanding. To increase quality of contact, Allport posited four requirements that must be present among the groups. First, both parties must enter the relationship with equal status. Second, both parties must have a mutual goal and work toward the attainment of this common goal. Third, both parties must have the opportunity to become acquainted and get to know each other at a deeper level, perhaps through the engagement or accomplishment of a similar task. Finally, both parties must share and support similar social norms and customs that govern group behaviors and settings.

Although most of the research on intergroup contact theory originated from World War II, the theory has been expanded and tested pervasively on different ethnic, religious, gender, and age groups. It has also been extended to include different types of contacts such as indirect intergroup contact, imagined contact, and extended contact. However, the theory has also received wide empirical debate since its formulation. Some theorists asserted that intergroup contacts are much more complex than what Allport originally proposed. Some questioned the rigorous-ness of the research set up to test the theory. But most contact theorists today generally agree that intergroup contact is a multidimensional process that is guided by an array of various elements. In addition to the conditions spelled out by Allport, contemporary contact theorists suggest that the contact process is mediated and moderated by various mechanisms such as group functional relations, behaviors, affect, knowledge, and social representations of the groups. Through this process, group members generalize their perceptions and attitudes toward the group members and the group as a whole.

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