The Effect of the Valence of Imagined Contact with Immigrants on Adolescents’ Stereotype Content: The Importance of Perceived Typicality
Abstract
Across two studies, we examined the effect of imagined intergroup contact valence on Spanish adolescents’ stereotype content of Ecuadorian and Moroccan immigrants considering the moderator role of perceived typicality and ethnic origin on this effect. Study 1 (N = 133) showed that, only for Moroccans, when the interaction partner was perceived as highly typical, Moroccans were perceived as more moral and sociable after an imagined positive contact than after a negative one. In contrast, when the interaction partner was perceived as atypical, Moroccans were perceived as more moral and sociable after a negative imagined interaction than after a positive one. Study 2 (N = 113) broadly replicated these findings and confirmed the stronger effect of negative imagined contact on stereotypes. Only when the imagined contact was negative and the interaction partner was perceived as typical, contact altered adolescents’ perceptions and impaired Moroccans’ perceived sociability. Our findings highlight the context-dependency of the effect of contact valence and the importance of the perceived typicality for the generalization of its effects on stereotype content.
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