Future directions for intergroup contact theory and research

Intergroup contact theory and research has received renewed interest in recent years. And this new work has led to rapid advances. This paper summarizes this progress and points to four future directions for further advances. (1) There is a continuing need to specify the processes of intergroup contact that explain its many effects. This is a call for continued efforts to determine the many mediators and moderators that are involved. (2) A greater focus upon negative contact is required. Cross-group interaction that leads to increased prejudice has not been studied systematically. (3) Rather than just a situational phenomenon, intergroup contact needs to be placed in a longitudinal, multilevel social context. (4) Finally, more direct applications to social policy are needed in which intergroup contact is viewed within specific institutional settings. Preliminary data analyses illustrate the points.