Abstract
Research in social psychology has shown that face-to-face contact between majority and ethnic minority group members is one of the most effective tools to reduce intergroup prejudice (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). However, reducing negative phenomena is not the same as promoting positive phenomena. Furthermore, liking other groups is not the most socially relevant outcome that would improve the actual position of minority groups in society (e.g., Dixon et al., 2012; Saguy et al., 2009). In strive for more societal integration, attitudes and behaviours supporting minority group members’ needs and rights may be an important marker of building egalitarian intergroup relations (Tropp & Barlow, 2018). In this vein, the overarching goal of the present project has been to analyse when and how the valence and intensity of offline and online interethnic contact (IC) elicit distinct forms of social integration (i.e., social well-being, prosociality, solidarity). IC was addressed between majority and minority groups and between minorities, considering both adults and adolescents. Specifically, the proposed project aim was four-fold. AIM 1: To investigate when and how the interaction between IC valence and intensity facilitates or inhibits the development of social integration in the short and long-term across both majority and minority groups of adolescents with different migration backgrounds. AIM2: To examine whether and how the interaction between IC valence and intensity predicts social integration attitudes and behaviours from the perspective of native Italian adults, focusing not offline and online contact. AIM 3: To tackle the role of language in both online and offline IC in shaping social integration outcomes from the perspective of Italian adults. AIM 4: To examine the role of inter-minority dynamics, that is the extent to which the valence and intensity of contact between two distinct minorities can facilitate social integration. These projects’ aims were investigated in four Work Packages, with earlier research leading to inform later research. Two research units were involved from the Universities of Bologna and Ferrara. Publications: 1. Garau, T., Destro, C. L., Rullo, M., Syropoulos, S., Prati, F., & Visintin, E. P. (2026). Cultural humility: A catalyst for increasing future contact intentions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 56(1), 5-17. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.7003 2. Macaluso, M. S. W., Policardo, G. R., & Prati, F. (2026). Delving into interminority relations: The crucial role of perceived self-efficacy in enacting solidarity. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000791 3. Policardo, G. R., Prati, F., Cayir, B., Van Assche, J., & Rubini, M. (2025). Fostering solidarity among ethnic minority groups: Addressing the role of inter-minority contact in cross-cultural contexts. International Review of Social Psychology, 38, 14. https://doi.org/10.5334/irsp.1096 4. Prati, F., Policardo, G.R., Hewstone, M. & Rubini, M. (2024). How positive and negative intergroup contact may shape the communication of discrimination towards migrants. Journal of Language and Social Psychology. 43 (3), 273–297. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X241237260 5. Prati, F., Cayir, B., Van Assche, J., & Rubini, M (accepted). The heaviness of advantaged members’ judgement: The role of meta-dehumanization and relative deprivation on ethnic minority members’ collective action. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.70056 Selected scientific conferences: 1. Garau, T., Lo Destro, C., Rullo, M., Prati, F., & Visintin, E.P. (2025). From Humility to Cross group Interactions: How Cultural Humility Shapes the Willingness of Contact Between Groups. Paper presented at the International Contact Research Network Contact Summit. University of Oxford – Oxford, UK. 2. Garau, T., Lo Destro, C., & Visintin, E. P. (2025). Autonomy or Dependency? How intergroup contact influences help modalities toward minorities. Paper presentation in the symposium “New outcomes of intergroup contact: The point of view of majority and minority groups” In: 19th National Congress of the Italian Association of Psychology, Section of Social Psychology. Bergamo, Italy. 3. Garau, T., Prati, F., & Visintin, E. P. (2024). Unveiling intergroup help dynamics: the effects of positive and negative intergroup contact on autonomy- vs. dependence-oriented help. Paper presented at the Doc and Postdoc Workshop FG Social Psychology. University of Hagen - Hagen, Germany. 4. Garau, T., Prati, F., & Visintin, E. P., (2024). Unveiling intergroup help dynamics: the effects of positive and negative intergroup contact on autonomy- vs. dependence-oriented help, Paper presented at the EASP Meeting: Understanding the multifaceted and applied nature of collective action research. Durham, UK. 5. Garau, T. Prati, F., & Visintin, E. P. (2025). Unveiling intergroup help dynamics: the effects of positive and negative intergroup contact on autonomy- vs. dependence-oriented help. Paper presentation at the 3rd International Symposium on Intergroup Communication. Warsaw, Poland. 6. Garau, T., & Visintin, E. P. (2024) Unveiling intergroup help dynamics: the effects of positive and negative intergroup contact on autonomy- vs. dependence-oriented help. Paper presented at the symposium “New directions and new variables in intergroup contact research” In: 18th National Congress of the Italian Association of Psychology, Section of Social Psychology. Torino, Italy. 7. Macaluso, M. S.W., Policardo, G.R., Cayir, B., & Prati, F. (2024). Ethnic minorities in action: The relationship between inter-minority contact and support for collective action. Presentation at the Annual Conference of the Italian Association of Social Psychology, Turin, Italy. 8. Macaluso, M.S.W., Policardo, G.R., & Prati, F. (2025). A story of two tales: the relationship between inter-minority contact and outgroup solidarity from the perspective of both high- and low-status ethnic minorities. Presentation at the 48th Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic. 9. Macaluso, M. S.W., Policardo, G.R., & Prati, F. (2025). Contatti tra minoranze e solidarietà: un’analisi del ruolo giocato dalla percezione di auto-efficacia e della somiglianza percepita. Presentation included in the Symposium “Nuovi esiti del contatto intergruppi: Il punto di vista di gruppi maggioritari e minoritari” organized by Garau T. e Visintin E.P. at the Annual Conference of the Italian Association of Social Psychology, Bergamo, Italy. 10. Prati, F., Cayir, B., Van Assche, J., & Rubini, M. (2024). Quanto pesa la valutazione della maggioranza?: Il ruolo della meta-deumanizzazione sul cambiamento sociale. Presentation at the Annual Conference of the Italian Association of Social Psychology, Turin, Italy. 11. Prati, F. & Kenfack, S. K. (2025). The interplay between mass media news and inter-ethnic contact: the perspective of African immigrants in Italy. Presentation at the Annual Conference of the Italian Association of Social Psychology, Bergamo, Italy. 12. Prati, F., Kenfack, S. K., Hewstone, M., & Rubini, M. (2025). The association between mass media news about interethnic contact and relations between ethnic minorities and natives: The perspective of African immigrants in Italy. Presentation at the 48th Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology, Prague, Czech Republic. 13. Prati, F., (2024). The heaviness of majority members’ judgement: The role of meta dehumanization on minority members’ willingness of social change. Paper presented at the EASP Meeting: Understanding the multifaceted and applied nature of collective action research. Durham, UK. 14. Visintin, E. P. (2025). Intergroup contact and well-being in majority group members. Paper presentation in the symposium “New outcomes of intergroup contact: The point of view of majority and minority groups” In: 19th National Congress of the Italian Association of Psychology (AIP), Section of Social Psychology. Bergamo, Italy. 4-6 September. 15. Visintin, E. P., Lo Destro, C., Rullo, M., & Garau, T. (2025). Cultural humility buffers the effects of collective narcissism on support for multicultural rights. Paper presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology. Prague, Czech Republic. 16. Visintin, E. P., Garau, T., Lo Destro, C., Prati, F. (2025). Challenging or Reinforcing Inequality? Intergroup Contact and the Dynamics of Help. Paper presented at the International Contact Research Network Contact Summit. University of Oxford – Oxford, UK. Public outreach activities: 1. Macaluso M.S.W. & Prati, F. (2025). 2 Follow-up meetings on the results of the survey in the SAI centers of Parma, Padova and Venezia, Italy 2. Prati, F., & Ciaffoni, S., Macaluso, M.S.W., Menegatti, M, Moscatelli, S., Panerati, S., Ruggieri, D. (2024). The inclusive mind: health and social relations (La mente inclusiva: salute e relazioni). European Researchers’ Night, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy 3. Prati, F., & Macaluso, M.S.W., Cayir, B. (2025). How to reduce intergroup prejudice. 5 Seminars for social workers of the Bologna district. Bologna, Italy 4. Prati, F., & Macaluso, M.S.W., Tumino, M., Ruggieri, D. (2025). Invisible discriminations: A quiz to understand everyday biases. (Discriminazioni invisibili: Un quiz per scoprire i pregiudizi quotidiani). European Researchers’ Night, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
Dettagli del progetto
Responsabile scientifico: Francesca Prati
Strutture Unibo coinvolte:
Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari"
Coordinatore:
ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - Università di Bologna(Italy)
Contributo totale di progetto: Euro (EUR) 200.979,00
Contributo totale Unibo: Euro (EUR) 117.639,00
Durata del progetto in mesi: 24
Data di inizio
15/10/2023
Data di fine:
28/02/2026
