Reducing prejudice through imagined social contact

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Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Psikoloji Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2013

Öğrenci: SANEM KÜÇÜKKÖMÜRLER

Danışman: NURAY SAKALLI UĞURLU

Özet:

Imagined Contact Theory is studied to examine whether there is an individual difference and remaining effect of imagined contact; and to determine more effective manipulation technique. Imagined Contact Theory suggests that imagining an out-group member in a contact situation leads to an improvement in attitudes toward that out-group (Turner, Crisp, & Lambert, 2007). Individual differences, as using imagination more in daily life, may facilitate the prejudice decreasing effect of imagined contact. In the first study, FRP (fantasy role playing) gamers were selected to examine individual differences and it is expected to find enhanced imagined contact effect because of their practicing of imagination (Study 1a) and long term effect of imagined contact is examined (Study 1b). In the second study, more effective manipulation technique is inspected and two manipulation techniques are compared depending on the literature which are detailed imagination and different exemplars imagination. It is expected to explore underlying cognitive working principles via comparing two techniques whether detail or different exemplar imagination is more effective for human thinking style. Results showed that, though imagined contact effect on attitudes toward homosexuals was found, being FRP player did not foster this effect. Secondly, effect of imagined contact on homosexual attitude did not change in the long run. Lastly, difference between manipulations could not be found. Results were discussed.