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Reducing Exclusionary Attitudes through Interpersonal Conversation: Evidence from Three Field Experiments

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  • KALLA, JOSHUA L.
  • BROOCKMAN, DAVID E.

Abstract

Exclusionary attitudes—prejudice toward outgroups and opposition to policies that promote their well-being—are presenting challenges to democratic societies worldwide. Drawing on insights from psychology, we argue that non-judgmentally exchanging narratives in interpersonal conversations can facilitate durable reductions in exclusionary attitudes. We support this argument with evidence from three pre-registered field experiments targeting exclusionary attitudes toward unauthorized immigrants and transgender people. In these experiments, 230 canvassers conversed with 6,869 voters across 7 US locations. In Experiment 1, face-to-face conversations deploying arguments alone had no effects on voters’ exclusionary immigration policy or prejudicial attitudes, but otherwise identical conversations also including the non-judgmental exchange of narratives durably reduced exclusionary attitudes for at least four months (d = 0.08). Experiments 2 and 3, targeting transphobia, replicate these findings and support the scalability of this strategy (ds = 0.08, 0.04). Non-judgmentally exchanging narratives can help overcome the resistance to persuasion often encountered in discussions of these contentious topics.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalla, Joshua L. & Broockman, David E., 2020. "Reducing Exclusionary Attitudes through Interpersonal Conversation: Evidence from Three Field Experiments," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 114(2), pages 410-425, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:114:y:2020:i:2:p:410-425_8
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    Cited by:

    1. Gwen-Jiro Clochard, 2022. "Contact Interventions: A Meta-Analysis," Working Papers 2022-14, Center for Research in Economics and Statistics.
    2. Massoc, Elsa Clara & Lubda, Maximilian, 2022. "Social media, polarization and democracy: A multi-methods analysis of polarized users' interactions on Reddit's r/WallStreetBets," LawFin Working Paper Series 28, Goethe University, Center for Advanced Studies on the Foundations of Law and Finance (LawFin).
    3. Gsottbauer, Elisabeth & Kirchler, Michael & König-Kersting, Christian, 2024. "Financial professionals and climate experts have diverging perspectives on climate action," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122590, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Divine Q. Agozie & Muesser Nat, 2022. "Do communication content functions drive engagement among interest group audiences? An analysis of organizational communication on Twitter," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Ximeng Fang & Sven Heuser & Lasse S. Stötzer, 2023. "How In-Person Conversations Shape Political Polarization: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from a Nationwide Initiative," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 270, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
    6. Elizabeth A. Sharrow, 2021. "Sports, Transgender Rights and the Bodily Politics of Cisgender Supremacy," Laws, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-29, July.
    7. Massoc, Elsa & Lubda, Maximilian, 2022. "Social media, polarization and democracy: A multi-methods analysis of polarized users' interactions on Reddit's r/WallStreetBets," SAFE Working Paper Series 337, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    8. Dorison, Charles A. & Minson, Julia A., 2022. "You can’t handle the truth! Conflict counterparts over-estimate each other’s feelings of self-threat," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).

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