Outgroup morality perceptions mediate secondary transfer effects from direct and extended contact: Evidence from majority and minority group members

Abstract

The secondary transfer effect (STE), defined as contact with a primary outgroup improving attitudes towards a secondary outgroup uninvolved in contact, has mainly been studied with reference to direct contact and considering attitude generalization as the main mediating mechanism. Using a majority (422 Italians) and minority (130 immigrants) adolescent sample from high schools in Italy, we examined outgroup morality perceptions as a new mediating mechanism, and tested for the first time whether the STE emerges for extended contact. Results revealed that the STE emerged for direct contact among the majority group and for extended contact among the minority group, and it was sequentially mediated by perceptions of morality towards the primary outgroup, and by attitudes towards the primary outgroup and perceptions of morality towards the secondary outgroup. The STE also emerged for direct contact among the minority group, with morality perceptions towards the secondary outgroup and attitudes towards the primary outgroup being parallel mediators. We discuss the theoretical implications of the findings, arguing that it is important to identify the conditions and underlying processes of the STE in order to reduce prejudice in the case of both majority and minority groups.

Reducing prejudice in the society at large: A review of the secondary transfer effect and directions for future research

“…Addressing this concern, eight studies demonstrated the existence of the STE by using different measures of attitudes toward primary and secondary outgroups (e.g., Schmid et al., 2012; Vezzali, Di Bernardo et al., 2018). Especially strong support is provided by studies that used different conceptual measures for primary and secondary outgroups, for instance, assessing generalization from attitudes toward the primary outgroup to contact intentions toward the secondary outgroup (Vezzali et al., 2019).…”

“…Evidence that contact effects generalize to secondary outgroups has been obtained mainly with correlational (Brylka, Jasinskaja‐Lahti, & Mähönen, 2016; Hindriks et al., 2014; Pettigrew, 2009; Vezzali et al., 2019, 24 studies, see Table 3), but also with longitudinal (Bowman & Griffin, 2012; Mähönen & Jasinskaja‐Lahti, 2016; Tausch et al., 2010, Study 4; Turner & Feddes, 2011; Van Laar et al., 2005, seven studies, see Table 2), and experimental methodologies (Harwood et al., 2011; Jasinskaja‐Lahti et al., 2020; Li et al., 2016; Shook et al., 2016; but see Mark & Harris, 2012, 13 studies see Tables 1; note that the study by Van Laar et al., [2005] has been included both as an experimental and a longitudinal study, see Tables 1 and 2).…”

“…In recent years, further evidence from cross‐sectional studies has demonstrated the robustness of the attitude generalization mediating effect (Bowman & Griffin, 2012; Brylka et al., 2016; Jasinskaja‐Lahti et al., 2020; Schmid et al., 2012, 2013; Schulz & Taylor, 2018; Vezzali, Di Bernardo, et al., 2018, 2019; Vezzali & Giovannini, 2011, 2012; Zezelj et al., 2020; for evidence of generalization via contact intentions, see Meleady & Forder, 2019, Study 3; but see Zingora & Graf, 2019, for evidence against attitude generalization), qualifying it as the main mediator of the STE.…”

“…Vezzali et al. (2019) conducted a cross‐sectional study with majority (Italian) and minority (immigrant) high‐school participants, testing morality and attitude generalization as concurrent processes. The primary outgroup was represented by the ethnic group (Italians for immigrants and immigrants for Italians); individuals with disability were the secondary outgroup.…”

Conditional secondary transfer effect: The moderating role of moral credentials and prejudice

“…Research on contact and morality has been largely unconnected (for exceptions, see Brambilla, Hewstone, & Colucci, 2013;Vezzali et al, 2017Vezzali et al, , 2019. In this study, we focus on moral licensing (Monin & Miller, 2001).…”