What's a Hypothesis? - Caseinterview
The hypothesis can be traced far into the past, but it was given its contemporary form by Gordon W. Allport in The Nature of Prejudice (1954). He listed a large number of variables that could modify the effects of quantitative differences in contact. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, these are usually reduced to three or four key conditions for intergroup contact to reduce prejudice: equal status between the individuals having contact, common goals and cooperative interdependence in reaching them, and the support of social and institutional authorities for equal-status contact. In this qualified form, the hypothesis has figured prominently in discussions of racial desegregation in the United States.
Contact hypothesis | Psychology Wiki | FANDOM …
As a conjecture about the effects of personal contact on individual attitudes, the hypothesis is easy to test, and the results of several hundred published studies are relatively easy to summarize. Regardless of whether the supposedly necessary conditions for favorable outcomes have been satisfied, greater contact is almost always associated, more or less strongly, with such outcomes (less prejudice and greater acceptance).
I can see how the contact hypothesis would benefit relationships between the public and those with autism. A lot of people have strong stereotypical behaviors towards something they do not know. The more contact one has with another group, the more likely those stereotypes will go away. Not only is it good to have contact with others, but, according to Aronson, Wilson, and Akert (2010), if the following six conditions are met, stereotypes can be reduced:
1) Mutual interdependence, 2) A common goal, 3) Equal status, 4) Informal, interpersonal contact, 5) Multiple contacts, and 6) Social norms of equality. Aronson et al. (2010) suggest that if all of these conditions are present, there is a much greater chance of reducing stereotyping, prejudice, and discriminatory behavior. It sounds like you had most of these (if not all of them) present in your fundraiser. Once again, I think that was a great thing that you did!
Contact Hypothesis (SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY) - …
The reduction of prejudice through intergroup contact is bestexplained as the reconceptualization of group categories.Gordon Allport (1954) claims that prejudice is a direct result ofgeneralizations and over-simplifications made about an entire groupof people based on incomplete or mistaken information. The basicrationale is that prejudice may be reduced as one learns more abouta category of people.Rothbart and John (1985) describe belief change through contact as"an example of the general cognitive process by which attributes ofcategory members modify category attributes" (p.82).An individual's beliefs can be modified by that person coming intocontact with a culturally distinct category member and subsequentlymodifying or elaborating the beliefs about the category as awhole.
Intergroup contact hypothesis / smoss2 - Sicotests
A study conducted by Rothbart and John (1985) found that theContact Hypothesis is an effective technique for reducing prejudiceand stereotyping if three criterion are met.
Intergroup contact hypothesis Dr
and and (2005) Beyond the optimal strategy: A 'reality check' for the contact hypothesis. American Psychologist, 60 (7). pp. 697-711. ISSN 1935-990X
SAGE Reference - Contact Hypothesis
This fits the description ofAllport's contact hypothesis as well as the conditions that must be met inorder for it to work. Although thediscrimination was not between majority and minority groups, each individualhad preconceived notions about the others. The students met in the neutral setting of the detention room, all withan equal status to each other at that moment. There may have been people higher up the food chain in high school, butwhen they were in detention, all the students were equal. They shared a common goal of getting throughdetention, and making it go by as fast as possible. They realized that just sitting there for ninehours would be much more boring than talking and hanging out. The institutional supports were present in anunusual manner. Although in Allport'shypothesis, the institutional supports are supposed to supervise and encouragethe contact, the principal discouraged all types of contact between thestudents. However, in this situation, itworked better than if contact was enforced. In this particular situation, the prohibition of communication amongststudents actually encouraged them to talk, just to defy the rules and to makedetention go by faster. Lastly, theresults were achieved to reduce intergroup tensions and promote perceptions ofcommon interests and common humanity. The students realized they were judging each other by stereotypes and byopening up to one another, realized that they had a lot in common and had madedeep connections.