When the shoe does not fit: The role of perspective-taking orientation in a perspective-taking prejudice reduction intervention

Abstract

We tested how individuals' dispositional perspective-taking impacts the effectiveness of an intergroup perspective-taking intervention aimed to reduce anti-Gypsyism in Hungary. For the intervention, we adapted a role-playing book with a Roma adolescent protagonist (called the ‘Gypsy Maze’). We predicted that the intervention would be more effective in reducing prejudice for stronger perspective-takers, compared to weaker, for whom it may even be counterproductive, potentially triggering victim blaming. We conducted a pilot field study among high school students and two experiments among university students (N = 982). In Study 1, we found that dispositional perspective-taking qualified the effect of the intervention. While strong perspective-takers endorsed less prejudice following the intervention versus control conditions, weak perspective-takers endorsed more. In Study 2, we aimed to replicate Study 1 and test underlying explanations, however, the intervention was ineffective in reducing prejudice among both weak and strong perspective-takers. These results draw attention to the limits of perspective-taking interventions and highlight the importance of both societal-contextual boundaries and personalizing intergroup interventions. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.