Does intergroup contact improve international altruism? The mediating role of identification with all humanity
Description
Although there is no doubt that not only direct intergroup contact but also imagined intergroup contact can reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relationship, we also provide evidence that its benefits can extend to international altruism. This research investigated whether intergroup contact was associated with individuals’ identification with all humanity, which was further related to their international altruism. In study 1, 225 Chinese students were recruited as participants and the result indicated that direct intergroup contact was indirectly associated with international altruism via IWAH. Study 2 (N=85) revealed that participants who imagined a conversations with outgroup members subsequently reported more international altruism toward other nations compared to either participants who imagined the negative interaction or participants in the control condition. Overall, the main conclusion of this study is that people high in intergroup contact are more likely to identify themselves in all humanity, thus making them more likely to exhibit more international altruistic behavior.