A reformulation of intergroup contact theory 75 individual differences shape contact effects 77 societies shape contact effects. A metaanalysis with 515 studies and more than 250,000 subjects demonstrates that intergroup contact typically reduces prejudice mean r 21. Allport explored ways to reduce intergroup conflict and negative stereotypes. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the. Gordon allport was a pioneering psychologist often referred to as one of the founders of personality psychology. Recent advances in intergroup contact theory sciencedirect. In addition, a theoretical distinction of the intercultural approach has been its relational notion of social contact a wellestablished theory in social psychology. The contact hypothesis lies at the center of social psychological research on prejudice reduction.
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. Allport 1954 held that positive effects of intergroup contact occur only in situations marked by four key conditions. Gordon allport was one of the pioneer trait theorists who attempted to list the traits that make an individuals personality. Yet research finds that the positive effects of crossgroup. The purpose of this study is to test gordon allport s theory of contact hypothesis about cultural attitude change in college students. 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. 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. The effort to understand if contact between groups would facilitate intergroup relations was triggered after world war ii by the human relations movement. Sep 21, 2018 gordon allport 1897 1967 was a wellrespected and influential american scholar in the psychology field.
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. Participants were college first year students participating in first year seminar classes in a small southeastern liberal arts university. Allport s intergroup contact hypothesis allport 1954 held that positive effects of intergroup contact occur only in situations marked by four key conditions. Gordon allports contact hypothesis has been greatly advanced over the decades into what is now called contact theory. This idea was first articulated by allport as the contact hypothesis. Allport is often credited with the development of the contact hypothesis, also known as intergroup contact theory.
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. The seeds of intergroup contact theory developments since allport a meta. Contact hypothesis an overview sciencedirect topics. 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. Allport argued that instincts and impulses arent the only things that motivate human beings. 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. Contact theory and the concept of prejudice sage journals. 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. Critique on gordon allport theories of personality free.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Allports scale of prejudice and discrimination youtube. Allport s most popular book is mans search for meaning. The present chapter will introduce intergroup contact theory as one of the most prominent approaches to prejudice reduction within psychology e.
Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Analysis of intergroup contact effects has allport been suppo. A metaanalytic test of intergroup contact theory thomas f. 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. Pdf recent advances in intergroup contact theory thomas. With this level of support, why hasnt intergroup contact eliminated prejudice from society. 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. In addition to providing a useful commonsense framework for contact theory, allport s criteria provided useful guideposts for researchers hoping to test practical interventions geared at reducing prejudice an area of great concern to researchers in the postwar years, which coincided. The contact hypothesis reevaluated behavioural public. Another paradox within this model states that the goals which are pursued by the healthy personality, in the final analysis, are.
Tropp boston college the present article presents a metaanalytic test of intergroup contact theory. Pettigrew university of california, santa cruz linda r. Gordon allport was a psychologist who laid the foundations of personality psychology. Varied research supports the hypothesis, but four problems remain. Allports the nature of prejudice is one of the most influential works ever written in the field of psychology. He noted that opportunistic functioning can be characterized as reactive, pastoriented, and, of course, biological. Unlimited viewing of the articlechapter pdf and any associated supplements and figures. An introduction to gordon allports the nature of prejudice. 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. This resulted in allport developing a great interest in understanding human motivation, impulses, and personality, resulting in his trait theory of personality. Gordon allports contact hypothesis facing history and. 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.
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. Allport 1954 feels that individual therapy is the best one, yet no study has been convincing of this. Choose from 221 different sets of allport theory flashcards on quizlet. Understanding gordon allports trait theory of personality. Dovidio, miles hewstone, peter glick, and victoria m. In the nature of prejudice, gordon allport 1954, p. Mar 31, 2020 gordon allport was a pioneering psychologist often referred to as one of the founders of personality psychology. Gordon allport s contact hypothesis has been greatly advanced over the decades into what is now called contact theory. Esses abstract this chapter has two main objectives. Hewes we propose a communication analogue to allport s 1954 contact hypothesis called the parasocial contact hypothesis pch.
According to allport 1954, there are six programs that can be used to reduce prejudice. His theory is considered one of the first humanist theories because it conceives man as an autonomous being with free will. He noted that opportunistic functioning can be characterized. We provide an overview of the type and trait theory of personality as developed by this famous psychologist. The parasocial contact hypothesis edward schiappa, peter b. A shy and studious boy, he was teased quite a bit and lived a fairly isolated childhood.
Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. This short video from macat explains the key ideas in the work in only a. With 7 independent samples from 515 studies, the metaanalysis finds that intergroup contact typically reduces intergroup. Allport came from a working family that valued health and education. In psychology and other social sciences, the contact hypothesis suggests that intergroup. Reducing prejudice and discrimination via intergroup contact.
In 1954, allport published the nature of prejudice, in which he outlined the most widely cited form of the hypothesis. Gordon allport gordon allport, a psychologist, created allports scale in 1954. Lecture fifteen intergroup contact theory, contact hypothesis. Full text of the nature of prejudice internet archive. Meaning of trait the adjectives and characteristics of one behavior is known as trait, these traits are helpful in describing ones personality and a. We conclude that these gaps in contact research must be addressed empirically before this hypothesis can reliably guide policy. Understanding gordon allport s trait theory of personality.
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. Gordon allport 1897 1967 was a wellrespected and influential american scholar in the psychology field. Psychology is the science which studies behavior and consciousness. 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. The problem with using contact to reduce prejudice is not that the contact hypothesis is wrong, but that it is so difficult to meet the conditions allport outlined. The contact hypothesis allport, 1954 claims that interaction between different groups will lead to better intergroup relations and a reduction of intergroup prejudice.
Healthy personality in allport s view, happiness is not a goal in itself. If people process massmediated parasocial interaction in a manner similar to interpersonal interaction, then the socially bene. 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. Theories and studies about reducing racial prejudice. Jan 11, 2011 this video is about the contact hypothesis see allport, 1954. Allport 1954 proposed one of the most important social psychological events of. Everett edited by diana onu in the midst of racial segregation in the u.
Mar 10, 2015 allports trait theory of personality 1. 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. Allport specified four conditions for optimal intergroup contact. Allport s original conditions for optimal contact equal status, common goals, no intergroup competition, and authority sanction facilitate the effect but are not.
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. Allport s the nature of prejudice is one of the most influential works ever written in the field of psychology. Allport s scale of prejudice and discrimination duration. They are formal educational methods, contact and acquaintance programs, group retraining methods, mass media, exhortation, and individual therapy. Allport explored ways to reduce intergroup conflict and negative stereotypes about other racial groups minority groups from the perspective. One of the most significant and enduring contributions of social psychology in the past 50 years is known as the contact hypothesis. Personality trait theory, research on prejudice and discrimination. Learn allport theory with free interactive flashcards. Hewes we propose a communication analogue to allports 1954 contact hypothesis called the parasocial contact hypothesis pch. In the years prior to allports framing of intergroup contact theory, social. The relationship between prejudice and categorical thinking was first systematically explored by gordon allport 1954 in his classic book the nature of prejudice. Full text of the nature of prejudice see other formats.
Gordon allport gordon allport, a psychologist, created allport s scale in 1954. Gordon allport was born in montezuma, indiana, in 1897, the youngest of four brothers. A selection bias limits crosssectional studies, since prejudiced people avoid intergroup contact. Of them, social psychologist gordon allport united early research in this vein under intergroup contact theory. Assessing the effectiveness of gordon allports contact. A longstanding line of research that aims to combat bias among conflicting groups springs from a theory called the contact hypothesis. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Allport s 1954 contact hypothesis proposed that intergroup contact is a powerful means for improving intergroup attitudes. 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.
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