The Dark Side of Valuing the Instrumentality of Diversity - Outgroup Devaluation as a Reaction on Non-Useful Intergroup Contact in Persons Holding Pro-Diversity Beliefs

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Mathias Kauff
• Subject Area: Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology
• Term: from 2014 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 265280225

The present research project aims at closing a central gap in the psychological research on intergroup contact and diversity beliefs. Although previous research on intergroup contact could show that private positive contact between members of different social groups improves intergroup relations, it has largely ignored the consequences of negative intergroup contact. The present research project combines research on the effects of negative contact with criticism on the business case of diversity that has until now only been approached theoretically.It is assumed that persons holding pro-diversity beliefs (i.e. persons valuing diversity for instrumental reasons) react to non-useful interactions in diverse groups with increased prejudice and decreased willingness to engage in future contact towards involved outgroups. To test this assumption, the results of cooperation in diverse groups are systematically manipulated in five experimental studies. In addition, a longitudinal study with a representative sample shall be carried out. Results of this project will potentially offer first empirical evidence for a potential negative effect of usefulness-focused beliefs in diversity.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants