The present article presents a meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory. With 713 independent samples from 515 studies, the meta-analysis finds that intergroup contact typically reduces intergroup prejudice. Multiple tests indicate that this finding appears not to result from either participant selection or publication biases, and the more rigorous studies yield larger mean effects. These contact effects typically generalize to the entire outgroup, and they emerge across a broad range of outgroup targets and contact settings. Similar patterns also emerge for samples with racial or ethnic targets and samples with other targets. This result suggests that contact theory, devised originally for racial and ethnic encounters, can be extended to other groups. A global indicator of Allport's optimal contact conditions demonstrates that contact under these conditions typically leads to even greater reduction in prejudice. Closer examination demonstrates that these conditions are best conceptualized as an interrelated bundle rather than as independent factors. Further, the meta-analytic findings indicate that these conditions are not essential for prejudice reduction. Hence, future work should focus on negative factors that prevent intergroup contact from diminishing prejudice as well as the development of a more comprehensive theory of intergroup contact.

A meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory.

Emotion and Adaptation

Do people behave differently when they are lying compared with when they are telling the truth? The combined results of 1,338 estimates of 158 cues to deception are reported. Results show that in some ways, liars are less forthcoming than truth tellers, and they tell less compelling tales. They also make a more negative impression and are more tense. Their stories include fewer ordinary imperfections and unusual contents. However, many behaviors showed no discernible links, or only weak links, to deceit. Cues to deception were more pronounced when people were motivated to succeed, especially when the motivations were identity relevant rather than monetary or material. Cues to deception were also stronger when lies were about transgressions.

Cues to deception

This study examines if Facebook, one of the most popular social network sites among college students in the U.S., is related to attitudes and behaviors that enhance individuals' social capital. Using data from a random web survey of college students across Texas (n = 2,603), we find positive relationships between intensity of Facebook use and students' life satisfaction, social trust, civic engagement, and political participation. While these findings should ease the concerns of those who fear that Facebook has mostly negative effects on young adults, the positive and significant associations between Facebook variables and social capital were small, suggesting that online social networks are not the most effective solution for youth disengagement from civic duty and democracy.

/pdf/is-there-social-capital-in-a-social-network-site-facebook-11f1qusu65.pdf

Is There Social Capital in a Social Network Site?: Facebook Use and College Students' Life Satisfaction, Trust, and Participation

Anthropomorphism describes the tendency to imbue the real or imagined behavior of nonhuman agents with humanlike characteristics, motivations, intentions, or emotions. Although surprisingly common, anthropomorphism is not invariant. This article describes a theory to explain when people are likely to anthropomorphize and when they are not, focused on three psychological determinants--the accessibility and applicability of anthropocentric knowledge (elicited agent knowledge), the motivation to explain and understand the behavior of other agents (effectance motivation), and the desire for social contact and affiliation (sociality motivation). This theory predicts that people are more likely to anthropomorphize when anthropocentric knowledge is accessible and applicable, when motivated to be effective social agents, and when lacking a sense of social connection to other humans. These factors help to explain why anthropomorphism is so variable; organize diverse research; and offer testable predictions about dispositional, situational, developmental, and cultural influences on anthropomorphism. Discussion addresses extensions of this theory into the specific psychological processes underlying anthropomorphism, applications of this theory into robotics and human-computer interaction, and the insights offered by this theory into the inverse process of dehumanization.

/pdf/on-seeing-human-a-three-factor-theory-of-anthropomorphism-eczur7vai3.pdf

On seeing human: A three-factor theory of anthropomorphism.

This paper provides a theoretical perspective for dealing with the initial entry stage of interpersonal interaction. The seven axioms and 21 theorems presented suggest a set of research priorities for studying the development of interpersonal relationships. The paper concludes with a discussion of some of the problems to be considered if the theory is to be extended beyond the initial stages of interaction.

Some explorations in initial interaction and beyond: toward a developmental theory of interpersonal communication

PART ONE: OVERVIEWS The Study of Communication as a Science - Charles R Berger and Steven H Chaffee Communication Research - Jesse G Delia A History What Communication Scientists Do - Steven H Chaffee and Charles R Berger Beyond Science - Thomas B Farrell Humanities Contributions to Communication Theory PART TWO: LEVELS OF ANALYSIS Levels of Analysis - Steven H Chaffee and Charles R Berger An Introduction The Individual's Place in Communication Science - Dean E Hewes and Sally Planalp Interpersonal Communication - Joseph N Cappella Definitions and Fundamental Questions The Network Level of Analysis - Peter R Monge The Macrosocial Level of Communication Science - Jack M McLeod and Jay G Blumler PART THREE: FUNCTIONS Functions of Communication - Steven H Chaffee and Charles R Berger An Introduction Functions of Communication - Denis McQuail A Non-functionalist Overview Language, Social Comparison, and Power - Howard Giles and John M Wiemann Nonverbal Signals - Mark L Knapp, Michael J Cody and Kathaleen Kelley Reardon Socializing Functions - Garrett O'Keefe and Kathleen Reid-Nash Persuasian - Gerald R Miller Communication and Conflict - Michael E Roloff PART FOUR: CONTEXTS Contexts of Communication - Steven H Chaffee and Charles R Berger An Introduction Family Process - Arthur P Bochner and Eric M Eisenberg System Perspectives Marital Interaction - Mary Anne Fitzpatrick Communication and Children - Ellen Wartella and Byron Reeves Consumer Behavior - Scott Ward The Health Care Context - Loyd Pettegrew and Robert Logan Organizational Assimilation - Frederic M Jablin and Kathleen J Krone Professional Mass Communicators - James S Ettema, D Charles Whitney with Daniel B Wackman Public Opinion Processes - Vincent Price and Donald F Roberts Communication Campaigns - Everett M Rogers and J Douglas Storey Cross-Cultural Comparisons - William B Gudykunst PART FIVE: CONCLUSION Epilogue - Steven H Chaffee and Charles R Berger

Handbook of communication science

Language and Social Knowledge: Uncertainty in Interpersonal Relations.

Communicating under uncertainty.

Communication researchers focus on a key area of study, one that affects all areas of communication, and indeed unites the field. Social cognition is the thought process that understands human and social interaction, and which produces messages, speech and social behaviour. Original contributions review or propose approaches to its study, and research its role in relationships, speech patterns, legal communication, and mass communication. '...the essays in this volume convincingly demonstrate the utility of social cognitive processes for understanding various aspects of communication...These chapters draw interesting and insightful conclusions about their subjects. The editors and authors are to be commended.' -- Journal of Communication, Spring 1984

Charles R. Berger

Papers

Some explorations in initial interaction and beyond: toward a developmental theory of interpersonal communication

Handbook of communication science

Language and Social Knowledge: Uncertainty in Interpersonal Relations.

Communicating under uncertainty.

Social Cognition and Communication