Imagined and extended contact experiences and adolescent bystanders' behavioral intentions in homophobic bullying episodes

Bystanders' helping interventions in bias-based bullying are rare, although they have the potential to intervene on behalf of the victim and quickly stop the aggression. Two studies tested, experimentally, the impact of adolescents' imagined (Study 1, N = 113, M_age  = 16.17) and extended contact experiences (Study 2, N = 174, M_age  = 15.79) on assertive bystanders' behavioral intentions in the context of homophobic bullying, an under-researched but highly detrimental behavior that emerges mainly during early adolescence. Potential mediators (empathic concern, social contagion concerns, and masculinity/femininity threat) were also examined. Results showed that female younger participants revealed more behavioral intentions to help victims of homophobic bullying when asked to imagine an interaction with an outgroup member (Study 1). Younger participants revealed less masculinity/femininity threat in the positive extended contact condition, and female participants revealed less empathic concern in the negative extended contact condition (Study 2). Overall, these findings identify specific conditions (e.g., younger females) where indirect contact interventions (i.e., extended and imagined) are likely to have a stronger impact. Age and sex differences were found to illustrate how adolescents vary in their behavioral intentions, empathic concern, and threat; and also highlight the need to further examine age and sex differences regarding responses to homophobic bullying episodes.

Comparing story reading and video watching as two distinct forms of vicarious contact: An experimental intervention among elementary school children

Research has shown that vicarious contact, that is observing an interaction between ingroup and outgroup members, can improve intergroup relations. Although vicarious contact has been operationalized in different ways, mainly via story reading or video watching, an experimental comparison of these different strategies is still missing. We conducted a school intervention with the aim of comparing the two most used forms of vicarious contact, namely story reading and video watching. Elementary schoolchildren without disabilities (N = 292) were assigned to one of three different conditions: reading a story; watching a video; control. In the two vicarious contact conditions, participants read or watched the story of a child with disability becoming friends with children without disabilities; in the control condition, participants only completed the dependent measures. Results revealed that, in general, both vicarious contact conditions were equally effective in improving outgroup attitudes and behavioural intentions. In addition, they operated with the same strength through the same underlying processes (IOS, ingroup norms). We discuss theoretical and practical implications in the context of vicarious contact as a prejudice-reduction intervention.

Longitudinal evaluation of friendship project: A multicultural – antiracist program for elementary school children

This study presents the results of the evaluation of Friendship Project-Greek version (FP-GR), a school based multicultural and anti-racist program aiming to develop intercultural skills and positive intergroup relationships, as well as familiarize and sensitize children with refugees’ life circumstances and difficulties. The aim of the study was to adapt FP in the Greek context and evaluate its longitudinal effectiveness in Greek students. The sample of the present research consisted of 314 children aged 9–12 years from six elementary schools in Athens and Crete, Greece. Students were randomly assigned to condition (intervention or control group) and the effectiveness of the program was examined through three measurements (before, at the end of the intervention and 3 months later). Data analyses (Repeated measures ANCOVA’s, Confirmatory Factor Analyses) were conducted using SPSS 25 and Mplusv.8.0. Results showed that FP-GR influenced participants’ general attitudes towards refugees, affected their xenophobic and intolerant attitudes but did not seem to have any significant impact on participants’ altruism. These results provide initial evidence that the FP-GR is an effective school-based prejudice-reduction program that promotes inclusive education for refugee-background elementary school children. Suggestions for the improvement of specific elements of FP-GR are also provided.