Indirect Contact and Affect – Talks Session 4

Chair: Ángel Gómez

AUTHORS’ LIST

Johanna K. Blomster (Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway),

Beate Seibt (Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway and Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), CIS-IUL, Lisbon, Portugal),

Lotte Thomsen (University of Oslo, Norway and Aarhus University, Denmark)

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SHORT ABSTRACT

Interacting with out-groups through media has shown to improve intergroup relations. We investigated the emotions felt during parasocial contact on out-group humanization. More specifically, how kama muta (being moved by a sudden increase in interpersonal closeness) felt by watching out-group members interacting increases individual- and group-level humanization. We found that feeling kama muta, compared to amusement, increased out-group humanization.

AUTHORS’ LIST

Katherine J. Reynolds (The Australian National University, Australia), Kathleen Klik (The Australian National University, Australia), Emina Subasic (University of Newcastle, Australia).

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SHORT ABSTRACT

Social psychology is experiencing a resurgence of interest in intergroup contact. This paper will focus on social identity processes as a novel framework that can integrate the growing contact typology (i.e. extended, vicarious, imagined, positive/negative and supportive). The aim is to encourage vigorous debate and viable future directions for contact research and related interventions.

AUTHORS’ LIST

Fiona White (The University of Sydney, Australia), Stefano Verrelli (The University of Sydney, Australia), Rachel Maunder (The University of Sydney, Australia), Lauren Harvey (The University of Sydney, Australia)

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SHORT ABSTRACT

The Internet has the capacity to bring individuals into a cooperative space, who would otherwise not normally interact – it dissolves the physical and social psychological barriers that often separate groups making contact possible in contexts of segregation. E-contact is one such strategy. Developed by White and her colleagues, E-contact has been found to promote intergroup harmony across diverse contexts.