Research and theory on intergroup contact have become one of the fastest advancing and most exciting fields in social psychology in recent years. The work is exciting because it combines basic social psychological concerns -- human interaction, situational influences on behavior -- with an effective means of improving intergroup relations at a time when the world is witnessing widespread intergroup hatred and strife.

This volume provides an overview of this rapidly progressing area of investigation – its origins and early work, its current status and recent developments, along with criticisms of this work and suggestions for future directions. It covers a range of research findings involving contact between groups drawn from the authors’ extensive meta-analysis of 515 published studies on intergroup contact. This meta-analysis, together with the authors’ renowned research on intergroup contact, provides a solid foundation and broad overview of the field, to which have been added discussions of research extensions and emerging directions.

When Groups Meet is a rich, comprehensive overview of classic and contemporary work on intergroup contact, and provides insights into where this work is headed in the future. For research specialists, this volume not only serves as a sourcebook for research and theory on intergroup contact, it also provides the entire 515-item bibliography from the meta-analysis. The clear structure and accessible writing style will also appeal to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in psychology and other social sciences.

Reviews

"For research specialists, When Groups Meet not only serves as a concise sourcebook for research and theory on intergroup contact, it also provides the entire 515-item bibliography from the meta-analysis. … The clear structure and accessible writing style should appeal to students of psychology and other social sciences, and more widely provide answers for all those interested in the dynamics ofoup contact." - Veronika Bajt, Peace Institute – Institute for Contemporary Social and Political Studies, Slovenia, in Teorija In Praksa

"Contact theory represents psychology’s most important and enduring contribution to improving intergroup relations. Tom Pettigrew and Linda Tropp apply their vast knowledge and penetrating theoretical insights to synthesize the literature to create the definitive volume on this topic. When Groups Meet reviews the origins of the theory, presents a deep analysis of the current state of work on the theory, and offers a thoughtful appraisal of emerging scholarly directions. Readers, whether those new to this topic or those already working in this area, will especially benefit from these experts’ ideas about the future of contact theory and its implications for research and practical interventions." - John F. Dovidio, Yale University

"When Groups Meet is a remarkable achievement, essential reading for those who want to understand the po...