The effect of intergroup contact on solidarity-based collective action is mediated by reductions in SDO

This paper explores the impact of positive and negative intergroup contact on advantaged group members’ willingness to engage in collective action on behalf of disadvantaged outgroups, and the meditational role of social dominance orientation (SDO) in this process. SDO captures an individuals’ ideological support for inequality. If contact is going to promote collective action to reduce inequality amongst the advantaged group, it must be expected to influence their ideological beliefs about hierarchy. In Study 1 only positive, and not negative contact was found to be associated with Whites’ support for the Black Lives Matter movement, mediated by reductions in SDO. In Study 2, both positive and negative contact were associated respectively, with more or less support for collective action to protect the rights of European immigrants during Brexit negotiations. While positive contact was associated with reduced SDO and more support for collective action amongst British nationals, negative contact was associated with increased SDO and lower support for collective action.