Becker, J. C., Wright, S. C., & Siem, B.
Can cross-group contact predict advantaged group member’s willingness to engage in costly solidarity-based action? Yes, if the contact is politicized
Positive cross-group contact with disadvantaged group members can reduce prejudice, and, under certain conditions, increase solidarity-based action intentions among advantaged group members. In the present work, we distinguish between positive contact (friendly, cooperative) versus politicized contact (where group-based injustice is discussed) as well as between benevolent helping offered to the disadvantaged group versus costly solidarity-based actions. We predict that positive contact is related to benevolent helping, whereas politicized contact is related to willingness to engage in costly solidarity-based activism. In two studies (N = 257, N = 329), results support these hypotheses: for nonmigrants in Germany and the United Kingdom, positive contact with migrants, mediated by empathy, positive emotions, and movement identification, was a better predictor of benevolent helping, whereas politicized contact with migrants, mediated by anger and/or movement identification was a better predictor of endorsement of costly solidarity-based activism.
Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 2022, Vol. 29, pp. 123-139, DOI: 10.4473/TPM29.1.9
