Vicarious contact theory posits that observing positive interactions between ingroup and outgroup members can improve ingroup members’ attitudes toward outgroups, and this effect has been widely demonstrated in many countries, particularly in Western contexts. However, two important gaps remain: few studies have examined the longitudinal effects of vicarious contact, and little research has applied the approach in societies like Japan, where opportunities for direct intergroup contact are limited. To address these gaps, the present study applied the vicarious contact method to Japanese university students. Participants (n=51) viewed videos of positive cooperation and communication between Japanese and non-Japanese peers working together on school projects using English. These instruments were administered before, immediately after, one week after, and one month after implementation of vicarious contact, allowing for longitudinal data to be collected related to how persistent these effects might be. Results indicate that vicarious contact significantly reduced both English-use and intercultural communication anxiety while enhancing self-perceived language competence, with effects persisting over time. In addition, mediation analyses were conducted to explore the underlying mechanisms of these effects, and findings will be discussed in relation to broader theories of intergroup attitude change. These effects were found to persist both one week and one month after vicarious contact. The presenters will describe how vicarious contact could be used more widely in educational settings to positively affect these outgroup attitudes throughout Japan, Asia, and beyond.

Authors:
Anqi Hu, Ibaraki University, Japan
Josh Brunotte, Aichi Prefectural University, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Anqi Hu is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the Center for Global Engagement, Ibaraki University, Japan.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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