Does Digital Intergroup Contact Reduce Prejudice? A Meta-Analysis

Leonor Pereira da Costa; Kinga Bierwiaczonek; Mauro Bianchi

doi:10.1089/cyber.2023.0591

Does Digital Intergroup Contact Reduce Prejudice? A Meta-Analysis

Leonor Pereira da Costa, Kinga Bierwiaczonek, Mauro Bianchi

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

With the ubiquity of technology in the modern life, contact between different social groups via different digital means is an everyday reality. Can such a digital intergroup contact reduce prejudice, or does it exacerbate it? In this study, we summarize the present evidence on the links between intergroup digital contact and prejudice in a variety of intergroup contexts. We meta-analyzed experimental and correlational evidence from 88 independent samples (n = 9,385). Digital intergroup contact showed a small but significant effect consistent with prejudice reduction (g = 0.25). Direct digital contact showed larger effect than indirect forms of contact, and contact via computer-mediated communication showed larger effects than contact achieved via other activities such as interacting with nonplayable characters or embodiment. The effects were similar regardless of the type of out-group targeted by prejudice. Overall, meta-analytical results suggest that digital intergroup contact may reduce prejudice.

Original language	English
Article number	7
Pages (from-to)	440-451
Number of pages	12
Journal	Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
Volume	27
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2023.0591
Publication status	Published - 1 Jul 2024

Bibliographical note

DBLP License: DBLP's bibliographic metadata records provided through http://dblp.org/ are distributed under a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Although the bibliographic metadata records are provided consistent with CC0 1.0 Dedication, the content described by the metadata records is not. Content may be subject to copyright, rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions.

Funding

LPC was supported by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e Tecnologia (FCT), under HEI-Lab R&D Unit (UIDB/05380/2020, https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05380/2020) and by Lusophone Institute for Research and Development ILIND (ILIND/F+/EI/03/2020). KB was supported by the Research Council of Norway via the Young Research Talent grant (N\u00BA325260).

Funders	Funder number
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia	UIDB/05380/2020

Keywords

Communication
Group Processes
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Prejudice/psychology

Access to Document

10.1089/cyber.2023.0591

Cite this

@article{5a38df97cd9f4efcafc82b80a196e258,

title = "Does Digital Intergroup Contact Reduce Prejudice? A Meta-Analysis",

abstract = "With the ubiquity of technology in the modern life, contact between different social groups via different digital means is an everyday reality. Can such a digital intergroup contact reduce prejudice, or does it exacerbate it? In this study, we summarize the present evidence on the links between intergroup digital contact and prejudice in a variety of intergroup contexts. We meta-analyzed experimental and correlational evidence from 88 independent samples (n = 9,385). Digital intergroup contact showed a small but significant effect consistent with prejudice reduction (g = 0.25). Direct digital contact showed larger effect than indirect forms of contact, and contact via computer-mediated communication showed larger effects than contact achieved via other activities such as interacting with nonplayable characters or embodiment. The effects were similar regardless of the type of out-group targeted by prejudice. Overall, meta-analytical results suggest that digital intergroup contact may reduce prejudice.",

keywords = "Communication, Group Processes, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Prejudice/psychology",

author = "{da Costa}, {Leonor Pereira} and Kinga Bierwiaczonek and Mauro Bianchi",

note = "DBLP License: DBLP's bibliographic metadata records provided through http://dblp.org/ are distributed under a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Although the bibliographic metadata records are provided consistent with CC0 1.0 Dedication, the content described by the metadata records is not. Content may be subject to copyright, rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions.",

year = "2024",

month = jul,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1089/cyber.2023.0591",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

pages = "440--451",

journal = "Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking",

issn = "2152-2715",

publisher = "Mary Ann Liebert Inc.",

number = "7",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Does Digital Intergroup Contact Reduce Prejudice? A Meta-Analysis

AU - da Costa, Leonor Pereira

AU - Bierwiaczonek, Kinga

AU - Bianchi, Mauro

N1 - DBLP License: DBLP's bibliographic metadata records provided through http://dblp.org/ are distributed under a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Although the bibliographic metadata records are provided consistent with CC0 1.0 Dedication, the content described by the metadata records is not. Content may be subject to copyright, rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions.

PY - 2024/7/1

Y1 - 2024/7/1

N2 - With the ubiquity of technology in the modern life, contact between different social groups via different digital means is an everyday reality. Can such a digital intergroup contact reduce prejudice, or does it exacerbate it? In this study, we summarize the present evidence on the links between intergroup digital contact and prejudice in a variety of intergroup contexts. We meta-analyzed experimental and correlational evidence from 88 independent samples (n = 9,385). Digital intergroup contact showed a small but significant effect consistent with prejudice reduction (g = 0.25). Direct digital contact showed larger effect than indirect forms of contact, and contact via computer-mediated communication showed larger effects than contact achieved via other activities such as interacting with nonplayable characters or embodiment. The effects were similar regardless of the type of out-group targeted by prejudice. Overall, meta-analytical results suggest that digital intergroup contact may reduce prejudice.

AB - With the ubiquity of technology in the modern life, contact between different social groups via different digital means is an everyday reality. Can such a digital intergroup contact reduce prejudice, or does it exacerbate it? In this study, we summarize the present evidence on the links between intergroup digital contact and prejudice in a variety of intergroup contexts. We meta-analyzed experimental and correlational evidence from 88 independent samples (n = 9,385). Digital intergroup contact showed a small but significant effect consistent with prejudice reduction (g = 0.25). Direct digital contact showed larger effect than indirect forms of contact, and contact via computer-mediated communication showed larger effects than contact achieved via other activities such as interacting with nonplayable characters or embodiment. The effects were similar regardless of the type of out-group targeted by prejudice. Overall, meta-analytical results suggest that digital intergroup contact may reduce prejudice.

KW - Communication

KW - Group Processes

KW - Humans

KW - Interpersonal Relations

KW - Prejudice/psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197223113&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1089/cyber.2023.0591

DO - 10.1089/cyber.2023.0591

M3 - Article

C2 - 38721920

AN - SCOPUS:85197223113

SN - 2152-2715

VL - 27

SP - 440

EP - 451

JO - Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking

JF - Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking

IS - 7

M1 - 7

ER -

Does Digital Intergroup Contact Reduce Prejudice? A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this