The racial composition of students’ friendship networks predicts perceptions of injustice and involvement in collective action

Abstract

Integrating previous findings on intergroup contact and collective action, the present research investigated how the race/ethnicity of close friendships formed during students’ transition to college related to their perceptions of intergroup relations on campus and involvement in collective action. Results revealed that, overall, having a greater percentage of underrepresented minority (URM) friends was positively associated with perceived injustice and reported involvement in collective action. Conversely, having a greater percentage of White friends was negatively associated with perceived injustice and reported involvement in collective action. In subgroup analyses, similar patterns were observed among students who had at least one White or URM friend. Implications for the importance of creating intergroup friendships that inspire shared responsibility among marginalized and dominant group members to advocate for social justice are discussed.