Contact effects on intercultural friendship between east Asian students and American domestic students

Abstract

Intercultural contact has been shown to reduce stereotyping and prejudice by lowering intergroup anxiety and the perception of intergroup threat. Recommendations on how contact can be promoted in the context of higher education often focus on extracurricular measures (including mixed-student housing, international events, and off-campus activities). This chapter examines how contact can be fostered through class assignments requiring the collaboration of international and domestic students. The study induced extended intercultural contact between pairs of East Asian international students and American students via a semester-long ethnographic project, during which students explored each other’s cultures. Results showed significant improvement in intergroup knowledge, attitudes, and social distance. The perceptions that students had of each other’s cultures also shifted, with stereotypes (especially of Asians as smart, quiet, and reserved) being replaced by more differentiated views. Previously reported negative portrayals of Asians as disliked, cold, and annoying could not be confirmed. Instead, mutual descriptions of friendliness were noticeable before and even more so after the project. Students expressed interest in maintaining contact following the semester at hand.