Pirathat Techakesari

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.

Whites for racial justice: How contact with Black Americans predicts support for collective action among White Americans

Advantaged group members have an important role to play in creating social change, and intergroup contact has tremendous implications in shaping intergroup relations. However, little research has examined how intergroup contact predicts advantaged group members’ inclinations toward collective action to support the interests of disadvantaged groups. The present research investigates how contact with Black Americans shapes White Americans’ willingness to engage in collective action for racial justice and support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Three studies of White Americans (total N = 821) consistently reveal that positive contact with Black Americans predicts greater support for collective action through a sequential process of fostering greater feelings of empathy for Black Americans and anger over injustice. These findings hold even when taking into account other relevant psychological factors (i.e., White guilt and identification, negative contact, group efficacy, and moral convictions). The present research contributes to our understanding of how advantaged group members come to engage in social change efforts.

Supportive contact and LGBT collective action: The moderating role of membership in specific groups

A growing body of literature suggests that positive cross-group contact between members of advantaged and disadvantaged groups can undermine disadvantaged group members’ collective action engagement. It has also been proposed that supportive contact (i.e., positive contact with advantaged group members who express explicit support for social change) may be a special form of contact that might increase, rather than reduce collective action engagement among disadvantaged group members. In the present research, we tested this proposition by asking Gay (N = 96) and Lesbian (N = 100) Australians to recall a previous positive interaction with a heterosexual friend who was either very supportive or somewhat supportive of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) rights (i.e., equal marriage, adoption, and surrogacy rights). Results revealed that the effect of supportive contact on collective action intentions depended on the participants’ specific disadvantaged group membership. For Gay men, those who recalled supportive contact reported greater collective action intentions. The opposite pattern emerged for Lesbian women. These findings suggest that supportive contact has the power to enhance or undermine collective action intentions among the disadvantaged. Which of these occurs appears to depend on the specific disadvantaged group to which one belongs. The psychological underpinnings of these effects, the theoretical implications, and future research directions are discussed.

High reliability teams: new directions for disaster management and conflict

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to present a framework that can be used to identify detrimental team processes in high reliability teams (HRTs), such as conflict, asymmetric perceptions and stress and coping appraisals, and develop interventions that eliminate these detrimental team processes. In addition, this paper suggests new directions for future disaster management and conflict research. Design/methodology/approach – This framework is developed based on past theories (i.e. Intragroup Conflict Theory and Biopsychosocial Model of arousal regulation) and their associated empirical studies. Findings – The present article brings a multi-method, multi-level approach to examine the prevalence of detrimental team processes in HRTs, their impact on performance and stress-related health outcomes and how they can be prevented or managed. Originality/value – This paper provides a novel conceptual framework that highlights the importance of considering human factors and team processes in improving the respons...