Indirect Effects of Threat on the Contact-Prejudice Relationship A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis examines propositions derived from Intergroup Threat Theory (ITT: Stephan, Ybarra, & Morrison, 2009) regarding the role of symbolic and realistic threats on the relationship between contact and prejudice. Specifically, analyses examined whether threat has an indirect effect on the contact-prejudice relationship (aka mediation). Thirty-nine papers comprising 54 samples and over 25,000 participants provided 347 effects for analysis. Supporting ITT predictions, results clearly demonstrated the presence of an indirect effect. Tests of several moderators, including type of contact measure, type of threat, dimension of prejudice, and target of bias suggest that indirect effects are largely consistent across each domain of comparison. Findings are consistent with ITT's propositions that contact influences threat and feelings of threat lead to prejudice.