Using Electronic Contact to Reduce Homonegative Attitudes, Emotions, and Behavioral Intentions Among Heterosexual Women and Men: A Contemporary Extension of the Contact Hypothesis

White, Fiona A.; Verrelli, Stefano; Maunder, Rachel D.; Kervinen, Angus

doi:10.1080/00224499.2018.1491943

Cited by 36Social and Intergroup PsychologyLGBTQ Health, Identity, and PolicyGender and Feminist Studies

Using Electronic Contact to Reduce Homonegative Attitudes, Emotions, and Behavioral Intentions Among Heterosexual Women and Men: A Contemporary Extension of the Contact Hypothesis

White, Fiona A., Verrelli, Stefano, Maunder, Rachel D., Kervinen, Angus·2019·The Journal of Sex Research

DOI 10.1080/00224499.2018.1491943

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Abstract

The current study experimentally examined the potential for a contemporary extension of the contact hypothesis, known as electronic contact, or E-contact, to reduce sexual prejudice, intergroup anxiety, and avoidant behavioral intentions among heterosexuals. It also extended the sexual minority contact literature by examining the role of participant and interaction partner sex as a possible boundary condition of this contact-prejudice relationship. To test our hypotheses, 140 heterosexual female and male university students were randomly allocated to interact with a homosexual or heterosexual, female or male E-contact partner, in a collaborative and text-only online interaction before completing the outcome measures. Overall, the results demonstrated that interacting online with a female, as opposed to a male, homosexual E-contact partner reduced heterosexual men's feelings of intergroup anxiety, which in turn was associated with lower sexual prejudice and outgroup avoidance. For heterosexual women, however, E-contact did not influence the outcome variables. In the context of sexual prejudice, these results suggest that E-contact may be particularly useful as a prejudice-reduction strategy among individuals who typically require it most: heterosexual men.

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Electronic contact has been used as a strategy for promoting awareness and reducing prejudice among ideologically different groups.
“Finally, as an innovative intervention, electronic contact (e-contact)—defined as “computer-mediated real-time interactions where members of different groups interact online” through virtual media with mental health services users [20]—has been used as a strategy for promoting awareness and reducing prejudice among ideologically different groups [21].”
From Innovative Technology–Based Interventions to Reduce Stigma Toward People With Mental Illness: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2022) · cites this paper as [21]

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Authors: White, F. A., Verrelli, S., Maunder, R. D., & Kervinen, A.
Affiliations: The University of Sydney (AU)
Corresponding author: White, Fiona A.
ORCID: White, Fiona A.
Verrelli, Stefano
Maunder, Rachel D.
Venue: The Journal of Sex Research
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Published: 2018-07-18
Volume: 56
Issue: 9
Pages: 1179-1191
ISSN: 0022-4499 (ISSN-L)
1559-8519
DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2018.1491943
OpenAlex: W2883277381
Cited by: 36
References: 51
Citations by year: 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2
FWCI: 9.08
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: The Journal of Sex Research (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
Keywords: electronic contacts, contact hypothesis, sexual prejudice, intergroup anxiety, heterosexual men, prejudice reduction
MeSH terms: Sexual and Gender Minorities, Adult, Female, Homosexuality, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Heterosexuality, Young Adult, Text Messaging, Homophobia

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Using Electronic Contact to Reduce Homonegative Attitudes, Emotions, and Behavioral Intentions Among Heterosexual Women and Men: A Contemporary Extension of the Contact Hypothesis

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