Investigating majority-minority asymmetries between intergroup contact and collective action for Roma rights

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Sociology
• Ethnic Studies

Background:

• The Roma, Europe's largest ethnic minority, face persistent discrimination.
• Understanding factors influencing collective action for minority rights is crucial.
• Intergroup contact quality is a key area of research in social psychology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between intergroup contact quality and collective action for Roma rights in Spain.
• To examine the roles of social class, social identification, and perceived discrimination.
• To explore these dynamics from both non-Roma (potential allies) and Roma perspectives.

Main Methods:

• Two studies were conducted in Spain.
• Study 1 surveyed 239 non-Roma individuals.
• Study 2 surveyed 259 Roma individuals.

Main Results:

• For non-Roma, high-quality contact with Roma, especially those of lower social class, predicted collective action, mediated by perceived discrimination and multiculturalist identity.
• For Roma, high-quality contact with non-Roma was linked to lower perceived discrimination but also lower collective action intention.
• Conversely, contact quality increased Roma collective action intention via enhanced multiculturalist identity, mitigating negative effects.

Conclusions:

• Intergroup contact quality has complex effects on collective action for Roma rights.
• Social class, identity (Roma and multiculturalist), and perceived discrimination are critical moderators.
• Effective interventions require nuanced approaches considering different group perspectives and social contexts.