Intergroup contact and helping: How quality contact and empathy shape outgroup helping

Do previous intergroup contact experiences predispose a person to be more inclined to help outgroup members? The present work explores whether the quality of one’s contact experiences with an outgroup is associated with outgroup helping. Across two studies, we examine the relation between intergroup contact (quantity and quality of contact), empathy (Study 1 and Study 2), anxiety (Study 2), and helping intentions across a variety of dimensions and behaviors (Study 1 and Study 2), as well as level of commitment to helping outgroup members (Study 2). Across both studies, quality, more than quantity, contact was associated with increases in outgroup helping intentions, which was explained (i.e., mediated) by empathy. In addition, quality contact was also associated with increased commitment to help an outgroup, which was also explained by empathy. Implications for intergroup helping and emotions are discussed.