Date of Award

12-14-2009

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dominic Parrott - Committee Member

Second Advisor

Eric Vanman - Committee Member

Third Advisor

Tracie Stewart - Committee Member

Abstract

The intergroup contact effect is well-documented in the research literature (for a meta-analysis see Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Although researchers have identified a few moderators of the contact effect, the constraints under which the contact effect is optimally effective are not well understood. The current research explored two individual difference measures related to anti-gay attitudes, AIDS stigma and motivation to respond without prejudice (internal and external motivation), as potential moderators of the contact effect on heterosexual men’s attitudes towards gay men. Results indicated that increased external motivation and AIDS stigma hinder the benefits of contact for anti-gay attitudes. Implications of these findings for understanding how intergroup contact serves as a prejudice-reduction technique are discussed.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/1331401

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Psychology Commons

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