He noted that opportunistic functioning can be characterized. The premise of allports theory states that under appropriate conditions interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority and minority group members. Lecture fifteen intergroup contact theory, contact hypothesis. Although allport recognized the emotional, social, economic, and historic dimensions of prejudice, he also proposed that prejudice is partly an outgrowth of normal human functioning.
Allport explored ways to reduce intergroup conflict and negative stereotypes about other racial groups minority groups from the perspective. Everett edited by diana onu in the midst of racial segregation in the u. Psychology is the science which studies behavior and consciousness. Allports trait theory of personality exploring your mind. If people process massmediated parasocial interaction in a manner similar to interpersonal interaction, then the socially bene. Gordon allport was a very wellknown american psychologist who laid the foundations for personality psychology. Gordon allport s the nature of prejudice irwin katz gordon allport s landmark book, the nature of prejudice, defined the field of intergroup relations for social psychologists as the study of prejudice and its effects on group interactions. Understanding gordon allports trait theory of personality.
Jan 11, 2011 this video is about the contact hypothesis see allport, 1954. Hewes we propose a communication analogue to allports 1954 contact hypothesis called the parasocial contact hypothesis pch. Recent advances in intergroup contact theory sciencedirect. A longstanding line of research that aims to combat bias among conflicting groups springs from a theory called the contact hypothesis. Healthy personality in allport s view, happiness is not a goal in itself. Of these two terms behavior is placed first because it is an explanatory principle, and therefore more fundamental. Contact theory and the concept of prejudice sage journals.
Gordon allport was born in montezuma, indiana, in 1897, the youngest of four brothers. The premise of allport s theory states that under appropriate conditions interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority and minority group members. Building off what was by then a couple decades worth of serious work on the subject, including williamss research, in 1954 gordon allport, one of the titans of 20thcentury social psychology, offered up the clearest and simplest explanation of contact theory yet, published in book the nature of prejudice. Full text of the nature of prejudice internet archive. Gordon allport was one of the pioneer trait theorists who attempted to list the traits that make an individuals personality. Prejudice unless deeply rooted in the character structure of the individual may be reduced by equal status contact between majority and minority groups in the pursuit of common goals. Gordon allports contact hypothesis facing history and. Gordon allport 1897 1967 was a wellrespected and influential american scholar in the psychology field. Personality theories gordon allport theory one thing that motivates human beings is the tendency to satisfy biological survival needs, which allport referred to as opportunistic functioning.
Introduction gordon allport was truly a phenomenal personality theorist who explained what a personality is and he bent most of the rules that were set out by other theorists including the father of personality himself, sigmund freud and in addition to that, he considered freuds theory of personality as the worst theory of. Gordon willard allport spent nearly his entire academic career at harvard, completing both his bachelors degree and his phd at the university, and serving as a faculty member from 1930 1967. In addition, a theoretical distinction of the intercultural approach has been its relational notion of social contact a wellestablished theory in social psychology. Contact hypothesis an overview sciencedirect topics. Allport argued that instincts and impulses arent the only things that motivate human beings. Understanding gordon allport s trait theory of personality. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Allport s original conditions for optimal contact equal status, common goals, no intergroup competition, and authority sanction facilitate the effect but are not.
A reformulation of intergroup contact theory 75 individual differences shape contact effects 77 societies shape contact effects. Allport is often credited with the development of the contact hypothesis, also known as intergroup contact theory. Allport s 1954 contact hypothesis proposed that intergroup contact is a powerful means for improving intergroup attitudes. Allport s most popular book is mans search for meaning. Allport explored ways to reduce intergroup conflict and negative stereotypes. Sep 21, 2018 gordon allport 1897 1967 was a wellrespected and influential american scholar in the psychology field. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Full text of the nature of prejudice see other formats.
Past, present, and future, authorjim a c everett and diana onu, year20 jim a c everett, diana onu published 20 in the midst of racial segregation in the u. With 7 independent samples from 515 studies, the metaanalysis finds that intergroup contact typically reduces intergroup. Unlimited viewing of the articlechapter pdf and any associated supplements and figures. Allport specified four conditions for optimal intergroup contact. This idea was first articulated by allport as the contact hypothesis. Critique on gordon allport theories of personality free. According to his personality theories every individual is unique and so his personality and his personality should be analyzed in the present circumstances and context rather than the past as personality continuously evolves rather than remaining stagnant throughout the lifetime. Gordon allport gordon allport, a psychologist, created allports scale in 1954. A and the jim crow laws, gordon allport 1954 proposed one of the most important social psychological events of the 20th century, suggesting that contact between members of different groups under certain conditions can work to reduce.
Tropp boston college the present article presents a metaanalytic test of intergroup contact theory. In psychology and other social sciences, the contact hypothesis suggests that intergroup. Learn allport theory with free interactive flashcards. Allport s intergroup contact hypothesis allport 1954 held that positive effects of intergroup contact occur only in situations marked by four key conditions. The purpose of this study is to test gordon allport s theory of contact hypothesis about cultural attitude change in college students. The contact hypothesis reevaluated behavioural public. Gordon allport gordon allport, a psychologist, created allport s scale in 1954. Allport 1954 proposed one of the most important social psychological events of. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the. Choose from 221 different sets of allport theory flashcards on quizlet. Allport came from a working family that valued health and education. Varied research supports the hypothesis, but four problems remain.
Esses abstract this chapter has two main objectives. Allport 1954 feels that individual therapy is the best one, yet no study has been convincing of this. The relationship between prejudice and categorical thinking was first systematically explored by gordon allport 1954 in his classic book the nature of prejudice. Pdf recent advances in intergroup contact theory thomas. Dovidio, miles hewstone, peter glick, and victoria m. The contact hypothesis allport, 1954 claims that interaction between different groups will lead to better intergroup relations and a reduction of intergroup prejudice. The premise of allports theory states that under appropriate conditions interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority. Theories and studies about reducing racial prejudice. Yet research finds that the positive effects of crossgroup. Gordon allport was a psychologist who laid the foundations of personality psychology. A shy and studious boy, he was teased quite a bit and lived a fairly isolated childhood. Mar 10, 2015 allports trait theory of personality 1.
Allport 1954 the contact hypothesis or intergroup contact theory states that under appropriate conditions interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority and minority groups members. Analysis of intergroup contact effects has allport been suppo. Hewes we propose a communication analogue to allport s 1954 contact hypothesis called the parasocial contact hypothesis pch. Allports the nature of prejudice is one of the most influential works ever written in the field of psychology. Reducing prejudice and discrimination via intergroup contact. Allports intergroup contact hypothesis allport 1954 held that positive effects of intergroup contact occur only in situations marked by four key conditions. Of them, social psychologist gordon allport united early research in this vein under intergroup contact theory. This short video from macat explains the key ideas in the work in only a. Gordon allports contact hypothesis has been greatly advanced over the decades into what is now called contact theory. We conclude that these gaps in contact research must be addressed empirically before this hypothesis can reliably guide policy. Assessing the effectiveness of gordon allports contact. Allport can be considered as the originator of the intergroup contact theory in his famous and influential book the nature of prejudice, he summarized early research on intergroup contact. The present chapter will introduce intergroup contact theory as one of the most prominent approaches to prejudice reduction within psychology e.
Personality trait theory, research on prejudice and discrimination. Participants were college first year students participating in first year seminar classes in a small southeastern liberal arts university. This resulted in allport developing a great interest in understanding human motivation, impulses, and personality, resulting in his trait theory of personality. Gordon allport was a pioneering psychologist often referred to as one of the founders of personality psychology. We provide an overview of the type and trait theory of personality as developed by this famous psychologist.
Allport s the nature of prejudice is one of the most influential works ever written in the field of psychology. The seeds of intergroup contact theory developments since allport a meta. He rejected two of the dominant schools of thought in psychology at the time, psychoanalysis and behaviorism, in favor of his own approach that stressed the importance of individual differences and situational variables. A metaanalytic test of intergroup contact theory thomas f. Subsequent theory and research has developed this hypothesis into a fullblown theory that makes precise predictions about the effects of different types of contact on mainly attitudinal outcomes, and how and. Gordon allport s contact hypothesis has been greatly advanced over the decades into what is now called contact theory. Developed in the 1950s by gordon allport, phd, the theory holds that contact between two groups can promote tolerance and acceptance, but only under certain conditions, such as equal status among groups and common goals. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
Gordon allports contact hypothesis facing history and ourselves. Allport 1954 held that positive effects of intergroup contact occur only in situations marked by four key conditions. The contact hypothesis lies at the center of social psychological research on prejudice reduction. Allport s scale of prejudice and discrimination duration. With this level of support, why hasnt intergroup contact eliminated prejudice from society. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. We also call attention to the lack of research that systematically investigates the scope conditions suggested by allport 1954 under which contact is most influential. In the years prior to allports framing of intergroup contact theory, social. A selection bias limits crosssectional studies, since prejudiced people avoid intergroup contact. In fact, he believed the healthy persons life could be grim with pain and sorrow. The purpose of this study is to test gordon allports theory of contact hypothesis about cultural attitude change in college students.
An introduction to gordon allports the nature of prejudice. Allports scale of prejudice and discrimination youtube. Another paradox within this model states that the goals which are pursued by the healthy personality, in the final analysis, are. In the nature of prejudice, gordon allport 1954, p. He noted that opportunistic functioning can be characterized as reactive, pastoriented, and, of course, biological. Mar 31, 2020 gordon allport was a pioneering psychologist often referred to as one of the founders of personality psychology. The application of the theory toward the improvement of intergroup relations has had the effect of concealing the fact that contact theory is fundamentally a prejudice theory and not a theory of intergroup relations. In 1954, allport published the nature of prejudice, in which he outlined the most widely cited form of the hypothesis.
One of the most significant and enduring contributions of social psychology in the past 50 years is known as the contact hypothesis. The parasocial contact hypothesis edward schiappa, peter b. The contact hypothesis offers hope for the world science of us. According to allport 1954, there are six programs that can be used to reduce prejudice.
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