2009/05/21 by Jacquie D. Vorauer, Annette Gagnon, Stacey J. Sasaki · 2 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Behavioral Health and Interventions #Cultural Differences and Values #Social and Intergroup Psychology
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02369.x
openalex publication_date 2009/05/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
Two experiments examined how rendering different intergroup ideologies salient affects dominant- and minority-group members' behavior during, and experience of, intergroup interactions. We hypothesized that ideologies that encourage an outward focus on appreciating out-group members' distinctive qualities (multiculturalism) would have more positive implications than ideologies that encourage a self-control focus on ignoring social categories and avoiding inappropriate behavior (color blindness and antiracism). As predicted, in both ostensible (Study 1) and actual face-to-face (Study 2) intergroup interactions, the multicultural ideological prompt led dominant- and minority-group members to adopt a more outward focus and hence to direct more positive other-directed comments to an interaction partner who was a member of an out-group. In contrast, the color-blind prompt fostered a prevention orientation in dominant-group members that led them to express negative affect toward their out-group interaction partner. The antiracist prompt had no consistent effects. Implications for efforts to improve intergroup relations are discussed.