Proximity Under Threat: Understanding the Role of Physical Distance in Intergroup Relations

58 Pages Posted: 20 Sep 2015

See all articles by Y. Jenny Xiao

Y. Jenny Xiao

New York University (NYU); Macalester College

Michael Wohl

Carleton University

Jay Van Bavel

New York University (NYU) - Department of Psychology; Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)

Date Written: September 18, 2015

Abstract

Throughout human history, social groups have invested immense amounts of wealth and time to keep threatening out-groups at a distance. In the current research, we explore the relationship between intergroup threat, physical distance, and discrimination. Specifically, we examine how intergroup threat alters estimates of physical distance to out-groups and how physical proximity, in turn, affects intergroup relations. In Study 1, highly identified Americans who perceived that another country threatened America’s ranking in the Olympic Games gold medal count estimated a threatening country (China), but not a non-threatening one (New Zealand), to be physically closer. In Studies 2 and 3, we examined ways to attenuate this bias. In Study 2 a secure (vs. permeable) US-Mexico border reduced the estimated proximity to Mexico City among Americans who felt threatened by Mexican immigration. In Study 3, intergroup apologies reduced estimates of physical proximity to a threatening cross-town rival university, but only among participants with cross-group friendships. In Study 4, New York Yankees fans who received an experimental induction of physical proximity to a threatening out-group (Boston Red Sox) had a stronger relationship between their collective identification with the New York Yankees and support for discriminatory policies toward members of the out-group (Red Sox fans). Together, these studies suggest that intergroup threat alters judgment of physical properties, which has important implications for intergroup relations.

Keywords: Intergroup threat, distance judgment, intergroup apology, intergroup relations

Suggested Citation

Xiao, Y. Jenny and Wohl, Michael and Van Bavel, Jay, Proximity Under Threat: Understanding the Role of Physical Distance in Intergroup Relations (September 18, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2662555 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2662555

Y. Jenny Xiao

New York University (NYU) ( email )

6 Washington Place
4th floor Social Psychology
New York, NY 10003-711
United States

Macalester College ( email )

1600 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
United States

Michael Wohl

Carleton University ( email )

1125 colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6
Canada

Jay Van Bavel (Contact Author)

New York University (NYU) - Department of Psychology ( email )

New York, NY 10003
United States

Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)

Helleveien 30
Bergen, NO-5045
Norway

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