The Contact Hypothesis (Allport, 1954), widely established in the international scientific field, has undergone interesting developments, over the years (Brown, Capozza & Licciardello, 2007). In particular, three different models, founded on the importance of Social Identity (Tajfel, 1981) in intergroup relationships, have analyzed the conditions that could reduce mental borders (prejudices) between different ethnic groups: De-categorization (Brewer & Miller, 1984); Mutual Intergroups Differentiation (Hewstone & Brown, 1986); and Identity Re-categorization in terms of Common Ingroup Identity and of Dual Identity (Gaertner, Dovidio et alii, 1990, 1993, 2000, 2007). According to this last approach, regarding the school’s role in identity formation as well as in social life educational processes, a school context based on intercultural openness and cooperation (Gillies, 2004; Cary, Johnson & Johnson, 2008) could contribute to reducing Self “distances” between Outgroup and Ingroup. This research, carried out with a sample of high school students, aims to verify the effects of an educational policy based on cultural openness and cooperation. The hypothesis is that “contact”, in such a context, could contribute to a Dual Identity development, that is the importance of subgroups identities and superordinate Self dimension at the same time. The results seem to support this educational policy, that leads to positive relationships toward the Ingroup and the Outgroup. Instead, a conservative educational model seems to support an individualistic orientation.

Contact Hypothesis and Educational Context. Cultural Opennes and Cooperation Effect

LICCIARDELLO, Orazio;
2009-01-01

Abstract

The Contact Hypothesis (Allport, 1954), widely established in the international scientific field, has undergone interesting developments, over the years (Brown, Capozza & Licciardello, 2007). In particular, three different models, founded on the importance of Social Identity (Tajfel, 1981) in intergroup relationships, have analyzed the conditions that could reduce mental borders (prejudices) between different ethnic groups: De-categorization (Brewer & Miller, 1984); Mutual Intergroups Differentiation (Hewstone & Brown, 1986); and Identity Re-categorization in terms of Common Ingroup Identity and of Dual Identity (Gaertner, Dovidio et alii, 1990, 1993, 2000, 2007). According to this last approach, regarding the school’s role in identity formation as well as in social life educational processes, a school context based on intercultural openness and cooperation (Gillies, 2004; Cary, Johnson & Johnson, 2008) could contribute to reducing Self “distances” between Outgroup and Ingroup. This research, carried out with a sample of high school students, aims to verify the effects of an educational policy based on cultural openness and cooperation. The hypothesis is that “contact”, in such a context, could contribute to a Dual Identity development, that is the importance of subgroups identities and superordinate Self dimension at the same time. The results seem to support this educational policy, that leads to positive relationships toward the Ingroup and the Outgroup. Instead, a conservative educational model seems to support an individualistic orientation.
2009
Contact; School; Identity
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/52941
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