Latinos' intergroup contact and prejudice in the United States

Authors

Jason R. Popan, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Jesse Acosta
Michiyo Hirai, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Document Type

Book

Publication Date

2018

Abstract

Despite being a large and fast-growing ethnic group in the United States, only a small amount of research has focused on intergroup attitudes and prejudice held by Latinos towards other groups. In the intergroup contact literature, the relative lack of research has resulted in a tendency to generalize the experiences of a subset of minority groups to minorities as a whole. The objective of this chapter is to review the existing literature on prejudice held by Latinos towards several groups and to review the role of intergroup contact in reducing prejudice held by Latinos toward outgroups. In particular, we review the literature on Latinos’ prejudice towards Black, Caucasian, and gay and lesbian people, respectively, and the role of intergroup contact in reducing (or potentially increasing) prejudice. We then discuss the role that machismo and ethnic identity may play in increasing or reducing prejudice through intergroup contact. Previous research has suggested that Latinos’ cultural values may play a role in the contact-prejudice relationship, with research demonstrating that machismo is associated with more prejudice towards gays and lesbians. The role of machismo in prejudice towards gays and lesbians is discussed along with the complex role that ethnic identity plays in prejudice held by Latinos towards outgroups. Potential areas of future research are identified.

Comments

Copyright © 2018. Nova Science Publishers, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Recommended Citation

Popan, J. R., Acosta, J., & Hirai, M. (2018). Latinos’ intergroup contact and prejudice in the United States. In I. Alvarez & A. Vargas (Eds.), Latinos in the 21st Century. Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Publication Title

Latinos in the 21st Century