Does intergroup contact improve international altruism? The mediating role of identification with all humanity

Although there is no doubt that not only direct intergroup contact but also imagined intergroup contact can reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relationship, we also provide evidence that its benefits can extend to international altruism. This research investigated whether intergroup contact was associated with individuals’ identification with all humanity, which was further related to their international altruism. In study 1, 225 Chinese students were recruited as participants and the result indicated that direct intergroup contact was indirectly associated with international altruism via IWAH. Study 2 (N=85) revealed that participants who imagined a conversations with outgroup members subsequently reported more international altruism toward other nations compared to either participants who imagined the negative interaction or participants in the control condition. Overall, the main conclusion of this study is that people high in intergroup contact are more likely to identify themselves in all humanity, thus making them more likely to exhibit more international altruistic behavior.尽管毋庸置疑，不仅直接群际接触（intergroup contact）与想象性群际接触均能减少偏见、改善群际关系，本研究亦提供证据表明，其积极效应可延伸至国际利他主义领域。本研究探讨了群际接触是否与个体的全人类认同（identification with all humanity, IWAH）相关，而全人类认同进一步与个体的国际利他行为存在关联。在研究1中，本研究招募了225名中国大学生作为被试，结果显示直接群际接触可通过全人类认同间接影响国际利他行为。研究2（N=85）结果表明，相较于想象与外群体成员进行消极互动的被试以及对照组被试，想象与外群体成员开展对话的被试后续报告的对他国国际利他行为水平更高。综上，本研究的核心结论为：群际接触水平较高的个体更倾向于认同全人类身份，因此更有可能表现出更多的国际利他行为。