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Rearranging the Desk Chairs: A large randomized field experiment on the effects of close contact on interethnic relations

Author

Listed:
  • Felix Elwert

    (Department of Sociology & Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • Tamás Keller

    (Computational Social Science - Research Center for Educational and Network Studies, Centre for Social Sciences, Budapest Institute of Economics, Center for Economic and Regional Studies, BudapestTÁRKI Social Research Institute, Budapest Computational Social Science - Research Center for Educational and Network Studies, Centre for Social Sciences. 1097 Budapest, Tóth Kálmán utca 4. and Evolutionary Systems Research Group, Centre for Ecological Research)

  • Andreas Kotsadam

    (Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research, Oslo, Norway)

Abstract

Contact theory and conflict theory offer sharply conflicting predictions about the effects of interethnic exposure on prejudice. Contact theory predicts that close collaborative contact under conditions of equal status causes a reduction in inter-ethnic prejudice. By contrast, conflict theory predicts that shallow or competitive exposure causes an increase in inter-ethnic antipathy. Both theories are backed by rigorous field-experimental evidence. However, much of this evidence tests each theory under arguably extreme conditions. Therefore, the boundaries of the scope conditions for contact and conflict theory remain unclear: where is the line between close versus shallow, or collaborative versus competitive, inter-ethnic exposures? We test the consequences of inter-ethnic exposure in a natural and non-extreme setting by executing a large, well-powered, and pre-registered randomized field experiment on inter-ethnic discrimination in 40 Hungarian schools. We show that neither manipulating the closeness of interethnic contact within classrooms, nor variation in inter-ethnic exposure across classrooms, has an effect on non- Roma students' inter-ethnic discrimination. These findings suggest that inter-ethnic contact may be neutral with respect to discrimination in many everyday settings, thus failing both to fulfill the hopes of contact theory and to actualize the concerns of conflict theory.from two waves of voluntary online surveys. Students with the highest socioeconomic status (SES) experienced a marginally significant absolute increase in DG, opening up a relative advantage between low- and high-SES students. The additional effort that high-SES parents invested due to the flexible home-office arrangements into the control and support of their offspring’s’ learning may have spurred these changes. Students’ DG is thus malleable according to the quantity and quality of time parents spend with their children.

Suggested Citation

  • Felix Elwert & Tamás Keller & Andreas Kotsadam, 2020. "Rearranging the Desk Chairs: A large randomized field experiment on the effects of close contact on interethnic relations," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 2054, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:has:discpr:2054
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Contact theory; Conflict theory; Deskmates; Inter-ethnic prejudice; Randomized field experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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