The Effects of Different Forms of Intergroup Contact on Reconciliation: The Role of Intergroup Threat, Victimhood, and Trust

MgA. Mirjana Rupar

Doctoral thesis

Anotácia:

I wrote my dissertation in English language. During my studies, I had no subjects taught in Czech or Slovak language.

Abstract:

Harmonious relations between groups are complicated by negative attitudes, prejudice and conflicts. A large body of evidence has shown that intergroup attitudes can be improved by contact with outgroup members. However, in post-conflict societies, it is necessary not only to improve intergroup attitudes but also to achieve reconciliation in order to ensure that former adversaries will not return to violence. Reconciliation implies a positive change in relationship between members of groups engaged in conflict and their mutual acceptance. It can be achieved through forgiveness of the victims and reparation acts of perpetrators such as apology or financial compensation. In this dissertation, I examined whether intergroup contact can be used as a mean enhancing reconciliation between former adversaries in a society marked by a most serious form of intergroup conflict. Studies on intergroup contact and reconciliation mainly focused on forgiveness neglecting reparation acts as an outcome. In my research, I simultaneously investigated relationships between intergroup contact and forgiveness and also the two reparation acts – ingroup apology and financial compensation. Past intergroup contact research mostly focused on positive intergroup experiences neglecting the effect of negative intergroup contact on both attitudes and reconciliation. This may be a problem since recent studies from non-conflict settings showed stronger effects of negative contact than positive contact on intergroup attitudes. I looked into the relationship between both positive and negative contact and reconciliation. In post-conflict settings, opportunities for direct contact can be limited and thus indirect forms of contact may be a more viable option to learn about former adversaries. Yet, only limited number of studies examined relationship between indirect contact and reconciliation. I focused on two types of indirect contact – extended contact (i.e., contact through experiences of other ingroup members) and mass-mediated contact (i.e., contact through mass media). Since conflict changes the nature of intergroup relations, I examined the effect of extended contact on reconciliation before, during, and after the war. The majority of research on the effect of intergroup contact on reconciliation dealt with dyadic intergroup relations neglecting the complexity of multiethnic societies where conflicts occurred. Testing the so called secondary transfer effect of intergroup contact, I examined whether direct and indirect contact with one former adversary can promote reconciliation with another former adversary in the same society. To understand through which mechanisms the effect of intergroup contact on reconciliation operates, I tested the mediating role of intergroup threat, ingroup victimhood, and trust in the link between contact and reconciliation. To address the above outlined gaps in the intergroup contact and reconciliation literature, I conducted three correlational studies in the post-conflict context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Study 1, I examined the relationship between direct, mass-mediated, and extended contact before, during, and after the war and three reconciliation related outcomes – forgiveness, support for ingroup apology, and support for financial compensation. The sample comprised Bosniaks (N = 267) and Croats (N = 278). The results showed that intergroup contact associated with all three reconciliation related outcomes. The link between reconciliation and indirect forms of intergroup contact was stronger than its association with direct contact. In the Croat sample, realistic threat mediated the relationship between negative direct and mass-mediated contact and a tangible form of reconciliation –support for financial compensation to the outgroup. Symbolic threat mediated the effects of negative mass-mediated contact and a symbolic form of reconciliation – support for ingroup apology. These outcomes suggest that interventions b

Abstract:

ased on intergroup contact can be simultaneously used to fulfil needs of victims (i.e., apology, financial compensation) and perpetrators (i.e., forgiveness). Ingroup members should be encouraged to share their positive experiences with former adversaries, particularly from the time during and after the war. Mass-media can support reconciliation by spreading positive information about outgroups that engaged in the conflict. Based on the importance of indirect contact for reconciliation determined in Study 1, I explored the role of media in reconciliation in greater detail in Study 2. The sample comprised Bosniaks (N = 267) and Croats (N = 278). In both samples, greater exposure to ingroup media was associated with higher perception of ingroup victimhood that was related to lower support for outgroup forgiveness and ingroup apology. Reversely, greater exposure to outgroup media was associated with lower perception of ingroup victimhood that was linked to higher support for outgroup forgiveness and ingroup apology. These findings extend the traditional view of media as deteriorating intergroup relations and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the role of mass media as a tool for intergroup reconciliation in post-conflict societies. In Study 3, I examined whether direct and mass-mediated contact with one former adversary associates with forgiveness toward another former adversary. I focused on the relationship between Bosniaks (N = 147) and the two other ethnic groups living in the country – Croats and Serbs. Positive direct and mass-mediated contact with Croats (more frequently encountered outgroup) associated with greater forgiveness toward Serbs (less frequently encountered outgroup) through greater forgiveness toward Croats and through generalization of trust from Croats to Serbs. These results suggest that in multiethnic societies interventions based on direct and mass-mediated contact could be used not only to promote reconciliation with one former adversary but also to foster peace in the whole society. Overall, my research showed that both direct and indirect forms of intergroup contact can be used as an efficient tool for bringing about intergroup harmony in multiethnic societies. By better understanding of the mechanisms underlying link between different forms of intergroup contact and reconciliation, practitioners can tailor more appropriate interventions and promote reconciliation in a maximally effective way.

Keywords

direct intergroup contact, indirect intergroup contact, reconciliation, intergroup threat, ingroup victimhood, outgroup trust

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 24. 4. 2018

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 25. 6. 2018
• Vedúci: doc. Mgr. Sylvie Graf, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Dr hab. Michał Bilewicz, Prof. UW, Dr. Magdalena Bobowik

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Doctoral programme / odbor:
Psychology (4-years) / Social Psychology (Eng.)