Categorization and intergroup anxiety in contact between British and Japanese nationals

Abstract

Two studies examined the relationship between categorization, intergroup anxiety and intergroup attitudes (intergroup bias and negative affect). Study 1 consisted of a survey of 236 British and Japanese nationals. Study 2 was a longitudinal study of 54 Japanese students studying in the UK. Of the three categorization variables (interpersonal, superordinate and intergroup), only intergroup categorization was shown to have a relationship to generalized intergroup attitudes. In addition, intergroup anxiety and quality of contact were associated with ingroup bias and negative affect to the outgroup. Study 2 revealed an interaction between intergroup categorization and quality of contact in predicting negative affect. Intergroup anxiety was also associated with increased intergroup categorization. It is concluded that the effects of categorization during contact are still poorly understood, and that intergroup anxiety is a far more powerful variable in contact than the current literature acknowledges. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measures of Intergroup Contact

“…While a number of the short versions based on Stephan and Stephan's (1985) original scale exist À some using a subset of three (e.g., Greenland & Brown, 1999), four (e.g., Harwood et al, 2005, Study 2), or five (e.g., Voci & Hewstone, 2003, Study 1) items of the original 11 items À these shorter versions do not consistently use the same items. Because of these discrepancies, we will report on a short-form of the anxiety scale that has been used in two studies (Paolini et al, 2004, Study 1;Turner et al, 2008, Study 1).…”

“…It is a negative affective process that is integral to the contact situation (see Greenland & Brown, 1999), and is distinct from chronic levels (or trait measures) of anxiety (Britt, Boniecki, Vescio, Biernat, & Brown, 1996). Anxious responses include physiological responses of the autonomic system (such as an increased heart rate), behavioral responses (reduced performance and contact avoidance), and subjective feelings of anxiety (Mendes, Blascovich, Lickel, & Hunter, 2002); it is the latter feelings that social psychologists typically try to measure with scales tapping intergroup anxiety.…”

The relationship between expatriate job level and host country national categorization: an investigation in the UK

“…Categorization was measured through a five-item measure drawn from Greenland and Brown (1999). The questions were intended to estimate the extent to which the participants considered the potential coworker as someone 'akin' to them, or belonging to a different group.…”

Dual identities in intergroup contact: Group status and size moderate the generalization of positive attitude change

“…This model has received support in several studies (see Brown & Hewstone, 2005;Brown, Vivian, & Hewstone, 1999;Brown, Maras, Masser, Vivian, & Hewstone, 2001;Gonzalez & Brown, 2002Maras & Brown, 1996;Wolsko, Park, Judd, & Wittenbrink, 2000). Keeping group boundaries salient during contact, however, may create intergroup anxiety and ingroup bias (Greenland & Brown, 1999;Islam & Hewstone, 1993) if the contact situation does not met the optimal conditions suggested by Allport (1954).…”