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An experimental study of contact effects and their persistence on Malawian shopkeepers’ willingness to spend future time with their Chinese counterparts

Author

Listed:
  • Jun Gu
  • Annika Mueller
  • Ingrid Nielsen
  • Jason Shachat
  • Russell Smyth

Abstract

The last decade has seen a massive influx of Chinese migrants to sub-Saharan Africa, where many have opened small businesses to compete amongst local merchants. These Chinese have often met resistance from the local competition, resulting in a sharp social divide. The current paper draw’s on Allport’s (1954) contact hypothesis theory and reports on the results of two experimental studies that examined the effects of direct and imagined contact on indigenous Malawian shopkeepers’ willingness to spend future time with their Chinese counterparts. Results show that direct contact led to Malawians’ greater willingness to spend time with their Chinese counterparts, and this effect persisted over a time period of ten days, when a follow up survey was conducted. In contrast, imagined contact did not change Malawians’ willingness to spend future time with Chinese. Implications of these results for China’s ambitions to introduce its development model into Africa are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jun Gu & Annika Mueller & Ingrid Nielsen & Jason Shachat & Russell Smyth, 2015. "An experimental study of contact effects and their persistence on Malawian shopkeepers’ willingness to spend future time with their Chinese counterparts," Monash Economics Working Papers 04-15, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mos:moswps:2015-04
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    File URL: http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/eco/research/papers/2015/0415malawigumuellernielsenshachatsmyth.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jun Gu & Ingrid Nielsen & Jason Shachat & Russell Smyth & Yujia Peng, 2016. "An experimental study of the effect of intergroup contact on attitudes in urban China," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(14), pages 2991-3006, November.
    2. Giles Mohan & May Tan-Mullins, 2009. "Chinese Migrants in Africa as New Agents of Development? An Analytical Framework," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 21(4), pages 588-605, September.
    3. Martyn Davies, 2008. "China's Developmental Model Comes to Africa," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(115), pages 134-137, March.
    4. Ingrid Nielsen & Chris Nyland & Russell Smyth & Mingqiong Zhang & Cherrie Jiuhua Zhu, 2006. "Effects of Intergroup Contact on Attitudes of Chinese Urban Residents to Migrant Workers," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 43(3), pages 475-490, March.
    5. James L. Gibson, 2004. "Does Truth Lead to Reconciliation? Testing the Causal Assumptions of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Process," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 48(2), pages 201-217, April.
    6. Ingrid Nielsen & Olga Paritski & Russell Smyth, 2012. "A Minority-status Perspective on Intergroup Relations: A Study of an Ethnic Chinese Population in a Small Italian Town," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(2), pages 307-318, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Keywords

    Chinese migrants in Africa; social contact; Chinese small business;
    All these keywords.

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