Computer-mediated communication and the reduction of prejudice: A controlled longitudinal field experiment among Jews and Arabs in Israel

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThe promise of computer-mediated communication (CMC) to reduce intergroup prejudice has generated mixed results. Theories of CMC yield alternative and mutually exclusive explanations about mechanisms by which CMC fosters relationships online with potential to ameliorate prejudice. This research tests contact-hypothesis predictions and two CMC theories on multicultural, virtual groups who communicated during a yearlong online course focusing on educational technology. Groups included students from the three major Israeli education sectors-religious Jews, secular Jews, and Muslims-who completed pretest and posttest prejudice measures. Two sets of control subjects who did not participate in virtual groups provided comparative data. An interaction of the virtual groups experience  religious/cultural membership affected prejudice toward different religious/cultural target groups, by reducing prejudice toward the respective outgroups for whom the greatest initial enmity existed. Comparisons of virtual group participants to control subjects further support the influence of the online experience. Correlations between prejudice with group identification and with interpersonal measures differentiate which theoretical processes pertained.

When is computer-mediated intergroup contact most promising? Examining the effect of out-group members' anonymity on prejudice

“…Negative attitudes of religious Jews towards Muslims were reduced, as were Muslims' negative attitudes towards religious and secular Jews (Walther, Hoter, Ganayem, & Shonfeld, 2015).…”

“…In White and Abu-Rayya's research (2012; White et al, 2014;, the children started the eight-week contact intervention with two sessions in which they exchanged information to get to know each other. Finally, at the Center for Multiculturalism and Technology individuating cues were gradually introduced over time, as teachers moved from text-chat to audio-visual and face-to-face contact (Hoter et al, 2009;Walther et al, 2015).…”

“…After initial text-chats teachers used audio and then video conferencing to engage with out-group members. Following the online intergroup interactions, teachers expressed less prejudice towards the most unfavorable out-group.Negative attitudes of religious Jews towards Muslims were reduced, as were Muslims' negative attitudes towards religious and secular Jews (Walther, Hoter, Ganayem, & Shonfeld, 2015).Intergroup contact certainly is a powerful strategy to overcome conflict and engender harmonious relations between social groups (Allport, 1954;Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). In addition to a substantial literature attesting to the impact of direct, face-to-face intergroup encounters, empirical evidence (Alvídrez, Piñeiro-Naval, Marcos-Ramos, & Rojas-Solís, 2015;Schwab & Greitemeyer, 2015;Tynes, Giang, & Thompson, 2008;Walther et al, 2015;White, & Abu-Rayya, 2012;White, Abu-Rayya, & Weitzel, 2014;White, Abu-Rayya, Bliuc, & Faulkner, 2015) as well as evaluations of internet-based conflict reconciliation programs (Abbott, Austin, Mulkeen, & Metcalfe, 2004;Hoter et al, 2009;Stock et al, 2009) suggest that computer-mediated intergroup contact (CMIC) can as well promote positive out-group attitudes.…”

“…In addition to a substantial literature attesting to the impact of direct, face-to-face intergroup encounters, empirical evidence (Alvídrez, Piñeiro-Naval, Marcos-Ramos, & Rojas-Solís, 2015;Schwab & Greitemeyer, 2015;Tynes, Giang, & Thompson, 2008;Walther et al, 2015;White, & Abu-Rayya, 2012;White, Abu-Rayya, & Weitzel, 2014;White, Abu-Rayya, Bliuc, & Faulkner, 2015) as well as evaluations of internet-based conflict reconciliation programs (Abbott, Austin, Mulkeen, & Metcalfe, 2004;Hoter et al, 2009;Stock et al, 2009) suggest that computer-mediated intergroup contact (CMIC) can as well promote positive out-group attitudes.…”

“…In White and Abu-Rayya's research (2012;White et al, 2014;, the children started the eight-week contact intervention with two sessions in which they exchanged information to get to know each other. Finally, at the Center for Multiculturalism and Technology individuating cues were gradually introduced over time, as teachers moved from text-chat to audio-visual and Running head: ANONYMITY IN COMPUTER-MEDIATED INTERGROUP CONTACT 10 face-to-face contact (Hoter et al, 2009;Walther et al, 2015).Advancing this literature, we aimed to assess how CMIC that enables out-group members to conceal individuating cues shapes intergroup relations. Building on the aforementioned research on anonymity and social presence, we postulate that if out-group members remain anonymous during computer-mediated intergroup contact, interactions are not intimate, which would provide the optimal condition for improving out-group attitudes (Allport, 1954;Hamberger & Hewstone, 1997;Miller, 2002;Pettigrew, 1998).…”