Variations in subjective definitions of everyday situations as intergroup contact

Abstract

Intergroup contact encompasses a wide range of contact situations. Yet, how ‘contact’ is conceptualized by those involved has rarely been examined. We argue that understanding the range of subjective definitions of contact is important for intergroup contact measurement and wider impact work. In Study 1, 26 participants completed a 3-day diary and a semistructured interview about their experiences of contact with other nationalities. We examined the threshold at which encounters are subjectively defined as intergroup contact. Results showed that subjective definitions of intergroup contact were disparate and diverse, particularly when contact was fleeting or online. In Study 2, we asked a British sample (N = 498) to rate the extent to which contact scenarios with non-British people represented ‘intergroup contact’. Findings show that contact situations which diverge from positive, verbal, face-to-face encounters, such as negative contact or online contact, were less likely to be recognised as contact, with strong variation in ratings. The extent to which situations were recognised as contact was positively correlated with the amount of self-reported intergroup contact. Together, these findings demonstrate the need to recognise and account for the variability in subjective definitions of contact, which ultimately shape self-reports of intergroup contact.