Michael Thai

An Investigation of Positive and Negative Contact As Predictors of Intergroup Attitudes in the United States, Hong Kong, and Thailand

Contact researchers have overlooked (a) the mechanisms that explain the association between negative contact and prejudice, (b) the effects of positive and negative contact on outcomes beyond prejudice, and (c) the importance of testing contact effects cross-culturally. In the present article, we addressed these gaps in the literature by drawing on data from White Americans (N = 207; Study 1), Hong Kong Chinese (N = 145; Study 2), and Buddhist Thais (N = 161; Study 3). Specifically, we examined positive and negative contact as predictors of old-fashioned and modern prejudice toward, and negative metaperceptions about, Black Americans, Mainland Chinese, and Muslim Thais, respectively. We also tested intergroup anxiety as a mediator of the associations between positive and negative contact, and all intergroup outcomes. Across three studies, positive contact predicted reduced intergroup anxiety, prejudice, and negative metaperceptions, while negative contact predicted increased intergroup anxiety, prejudice, and negative metaperceptions. Negative contact, however, was the more consistent predictor of intergroup attitudes. Intergroup anxiety emerged as a robust mediator of the relationships between both types of contact and all intergroup outcomes. We thus present the first test of a model of positive and negative contact that holds across both Western and non-Western contexts.

(Deviant) Friends With Benefits The Impact of Group Boundary Permeability on Minority Group Members’ Responses to Ethnic Deviance

Although ethnic deviants are typically disliked, we argue that minority group members may strategically befriend them. In Study 1, Asian and White Australians (N = 536) read a Facebook profile of an Asian or White target who exhibited either stereotypically Asian or White Australian characteristics. Overall, Asian Australians liked in-group ethnic deviants less than normative in-group targets. However, among Asians who perceived high intergroup permeability, the effect reversed on measures of social acceptance: Ethnic deviants were more likely to be befriended than normative group members. This pattern was not observed among Asians who perceived low permeability or among White Australians. In Study 2, we show that Asians (N = 118) who perceive high intergroup permeability desire integration more and perceive ethnic deviance as useful in achieving it—they consequently prefer ethnically deviant White and Asian friends. We discuss minority group members’ preference for ethnic deviance in light of their social mobility motives.

Friends With Moral Credentials: Minority Friendships Reduce Attributions of Racism for Majority Group Members Who Make Conceivably Racist Statements

People commonly reference minority friendships when expressing conceivably prejudiced attitudes. The prevalence of this strategy suggests a widespread belief that having minority friends makes one look less racist, but to date, there is little research demonstrating whether or not this is the case. White and Asian participants were presented with a Facebook profile depicting a White target who posted an anti-Asian statement. Being depicted with Asian friends (Study 1) or even verbally claiming that they had Asian friends (Study 2) reduced attributions of racism irrespective of whether they were being evaluated by White or Asian observers. Furthermore, the presence of Asian friends made the conceivably racist comments seem relatively benign, and observers were less offended and upset by them. The data suggest that minority friendships can partially offset costs associated with expressing prejudice.

The Whitewashing Effect Using Racial Contact to Signal Trustworthiness and Competence

The present research examines whether people use racial contact to signal positive and negative social attributes. In two experiments, participants were instructed to fake good (trustworthy/competent) or fake bad (untrustworthy/incompetent) when reporting their amount of contact with a range of different racial groups. In Experiment 1 (N = 364), participants faking good reported significantly more contact with White Americans than with non-White Americans, whereas participants faking bad did not. In Experiment 2 (N = 1,056), this pattern was replicated and was found to be particularly pronounced among those with stronger pro-White bias. These findings suggest that individuals may use racial contact as a social signal, effectively “whitewashing” their apparent contact and friendships when trying to present positively.

Fifty shades flipped: effects of reading erotica depicting a sexually dominant woman compared to a sexually dominant man

The present study examined the effects of reading submission- and dominance-themed erotica on attitudes toward women and rape, ideal partner preferences, and subjective sexual arousal. Heterosexual male (n = 241) and female (n = 240) participants read one of three erotic stories depicting male dominance, female dominance, or no dominance, or a fourth nonerotic control story. First, we found that after reading about a sexually dominant man, women reported increased benevolent sexism compared to men, and men reported increased rape myth acceptance compared to women. Second, men and women showed a similar level of preference for partner dominance after reading about a sexually dominant woman. This was in contrast to the typical pattern revealed in all other conditions, whereby women were more likely to favor dominant partners relative to men. Finally, we found no evidence to support the hypothesis that the story describing male dominance would be the most arousing. Rather, all three erotic stories were equally sexually arousing compared to the control condition, and men and women did not differ in the extent to which the erotic stories aroused them. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Is the racial composition of your surroundings associated with your levels of social dominance orientation

We investigate the extent to which minority group members are surrounded by outgroup members in their immediate environment as a predictor of social dominance orientation. Using a large representative sample of New Zealanders, we found that minority group members in outgroup dense environments reported lower levels of social dominance orientation (Study 1). In studies 2 and 3, Asian Australian and Black American participants who were surrounded by outgroup members reported lower social dominance orientation. For majority group (White) participants there was no association between social dominance orientation and outgroup density. Study 4 explained the overall pattern: Black Americans surrounded by outgroup members perceived their group to be of lower status in their immediate environment, and through this, reported lower social dominance orientation. This article adds to growing literature on contextual factors that predict social dominance orientation, especially among minority group members.

Bareback Sexually Explicit Media Consumption and Men Who Have Sex with Men’s Responses to Sexual Partners Who Prefer Anal Intercourse With or Without Condoms

This study investigated whether “bareback” (i.e., condomless) sexually explicit media (SEM) consumption is differentially associated with men who have sex with men’s (MSM) concerns about, and willingness to have, condomless anal intercourse (CAI) versus anal intercourse with condoms. Participants were 659 Australian MSM who all reported their bareback SEM consumption and read a vignette in which they were propositioned for sex by a hypothetical male target. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four vignettes, in which the target exclusively preferred either CAI or anal intercourse with condoms, and either did or did not disclose that they took pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Perceived partner attractiveness was also measured as a potential moderator. Greater bareback SEM consumption was associated with reduced concerns about, and intentions to have, sex with a target who exclusively preferred CAI. Bareback SEM consumption, however, was not related to concerns about, or intentions to have, sex with a target who exclusively preferred anal intercourse with condoms. PrEP disclosure was not causally related to either concern about having, or intentions to have, sex with the target, nor did it moderate the relationship between bareback SEM consumption and these outcomes. Perceived partner attractiveness moderated the effect of bareback SEM consumption on general sexual intentions, such that bareback SEM was only associated with greater intentions to have sex when the partner was perceived to be highly attractive.