Extended intergroup contact in frozen conflicts: Experimental evidence from Cyprus

Abstract

How can ethnic reconciliation be achieved in conflict settings where populations are physically separated? We address this question by examining the role of “extended contact”—a form of indirect contact which entails learning about the contact experiences of others—in the context of Cyprus’s frozen conflict. We field a survey experiment in order to test two pathways through which extended contact works: (1) by helping build a common identity; and (2) by activating empathy. We find that our treatments are associated with greater trust in the outgroup and greater support for cross-ethnic interaction, but only among segments of the population that are initially less favorable toward reconciliation.

The effects of identity (subordinate vs. superordinate) salience on intergroup attitudes, anxiety, and contact intentions in North Cyprus.

“…More recently, Psaltis and Cakal (2016) found that compared to those identifying as Greeks or Turks of Cyprus, participants identifying as Cypriot showed significantly lower levels of threat, prejudice, and distrust toward members of the opposing community. Donno et al (2021) findings also demonstrate that cueing common identity among religious Greek Cypriots can increase trust toward the Turkish Cypriot community. The present research builds on these findings by investigating how identifying with a superordinate category can shape Turkish Cypriot attitudes and behavioral tendencies toward the Greek Cypriot community.…”

To sanction or not to sanction: Public attitudes on sanctioning human rights violations

“…Studies have also shown that individuals respond differently to information about their in-group members based on the saliency of their in-group identity (e.g. Donno et al, 2021). In the case of XUAR, I expect the identity treatment to have a larger effect on individuals who report themselves to be religious and identify themselves as a Turk (as opposed to other ethnic groups in Turkey).…”

How intergroup contact shapes intergroup attitudes and construals of relations between ethnic groups: Evidence from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“…Only within the last few decades have researchers begun to investigate how social and psychological processes associated with contact may function differently in contexts with legacies of prolonged—and often violent—conflict, as compared to less volatile settings (e.g., Donno et al, 2021; Tropp, 2015; Uluğ & Cohrs, 2017; Wagner & Hewstone, 2012). As such, much more remains to be uncovered regarding how contact may contribute to shaping relations between groups in contexts where group relations have been rooted in conflict.…”