Mallett Robyn K, Wilson Timothy D, Gilbert Daniel T
Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60626-5385, USA.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2008 Feb;94(2):265-77. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.94.2.94.2.265.
People often expect interactions with outgroup members to go poorly, but little research examines the accuracy of these expectations, reasons why expectations might be negatively biased, and ways to bring expectations in line with experiences. The authors found that intergroup interactions were more positive than people expected them to be (Pilot Study, Study 1). One reason for this intergroup forecasting error is that people focus on their dissimilarities with outgroup members (Study 1). When the authors focused White participants' attention on the ways they were similar to a Black participant, their intergroup expectations changed to match their positive experiences (Studies 2 & 3). Regardless of focus, Whites expected to have pleasant intragroup interactions, and they were accurate (Study 4).
