IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0193337.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Are diverse societies less cohesive? Testing contact and mediated contact theories

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah McKenna
  • Eunro Lee
  • Kathleen A Klik
  • Andrew Markus
  • Miles Hewstone
  • Katherine J Reynolds

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that there is a negative relationship between ethnic diversity in a local community and social cohesion. Often the way social cohesion is assessed, though, varies across studies and only some aspects of the construct are included (e.g., trust). The current research explores the relationship between diversity and social cohesion across a number of indicators of social cohesion including neighbourhood social capital, safety, belonging, generalized trust, and volunteering. Furthermore, social psychological theories concerning the role of positive contact and its impact on feelings of threat are investigated. Using a sample of 1070 third generation ‘majority’ Australians and structural equation modelling (SEM), findings suggest ethnic diversity is related to positive intergroup contact, and that contact showed beneficial impacts for some indicators of social cohesion both directly and indirectly through reducing perceived threat. When interethnic contact and perceived threat are included in the model there is no direct negative effect between diversity and social cohesion. The theoretical implications of these findings are outlined including the importance of facilitating opportunities for positive contact in diverse communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah McKenna & Eunro Lee & Kathleen A Klik & Andrew Markus & Miles Hewstone & Katherine J Reynolds, 2018. "Are diverse societies less cohesive? Testing contact and mediated contact theories," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0193337
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193337
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0193337
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0193337&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0193337?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joseph Chan & Ho-Pong To & Elaine Chan, 2006. "Reconsidering Social Cohesion: Developing a Definition and Analytical Framework for Empirical Research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 75(2), pages 273-302, January.
    2. Natalia Letki, 2008. "Does Diversity Erode Social Cohesion? Social Capital and Race in British Neighbourhoods," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56, pages 99-126, March.
    3. Dietlind Stolle & Stuart Soroka & Richard Johnston, 2008. "When Does Diversity Erode Trust? Neighborhood Diversity, Interpersonal Trust and the Mediating Effect of Social Interactions," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(1), pages 57-75, March.
    4. Dietlind Stolle & Allison Harell, 2013. "Social Capital and Ethno-racial Diversity: Learning to Trust in an Immigrant Society," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 61(1), pages 42-66, March.
    5. Fearon, James D, 2003. "Ethnic and Cultural Diversity by Country," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 195-222, June.
    6. Andrew Leigh, 2006. "Trust, Inequality and Ethnic Heterogeneity," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 82(258), pages 268-280, September.
    7. Natalia Letki, 2008. "Does Diversity Erode Social Cohesion? Social Capital and Race in British Neighbourhoods," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(1), pages 99-126, March.
    8. Dietlind Stolle & Stuart Soroka & Richard Johnston, 2008. "When Does Diversity Erode Trust? Neighborhood Diversity, Interpersonal Trust and the Mediating Effect of Social Interactions," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56, pages 57-75, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cao, Jiyin & Galinsky, Adam D., 2020. "The Diversity-Uncertainty-Valence (DUV) model of generalized trust development," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 49-64.
    2. Wahideh Achbari & Benny Geys & Bertjan Doosje, 2021. "Comparing the effect of cross-group friendship on generalized trust to its effect on prejudice: The mediating role of threat perceptions and negative affect," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(2), pages 1-17, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Karl McShane, 2017. "Getting Used to Diversity? Immigration and Trust in Sweden," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 37(3), pages 1895-1910.
    2. Zheng Wu & Feng Hou & Christoph Schimmele & Adam Carmichael, 2018. "Co-ethnic concentration and trust in Canada’s urban neighbourhoods," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(10), pages 2159-2178, August.
    3. Birte Gundelach & Markus Freitag, 2014. "Neighbourhood Diversity and Social Trust: An Empirical Analysis of Interethnic Contact and Group-specific Effects," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(6), pages 1236-1256, May.
    4. Cao, Jiyin & Galinsky, Adam D., 2020. "The Diversity-Uncertainty-Valence (DUV) model of generalized trust development," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 49-64.
    5. Agata Górny & Sabina Toruńczyk-Ruiz, 2014. "Neighbourhood Attachment in Ethnically Diverse Areas: The Role of Interethnic Ties," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(5), pages 1000-1018, April.
    6. van Staveren, I.P. & Pervaiz, Z. & Chaudhary, A.R., 2013. "Diversity, Inclusiveness and Social Cohesion," ISD Working Paper Series 2013-1, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    7. Uslaner, Eric, 2011. "Contact, Diversity, and Segregation," SULCIS Working Papers 2011:5, Stockholm University, Linnaeus Center for Integration Studies - SULCIS.
    8. Anne Marie Jeannet, 2017. "The Rational Public? Internal Migration and Collective Opinion about the European Union," Working Papers 103, "Carlo F. Dondena" Centre for Research on Social Dynamics (DONDENA), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi.
    9. Tak Wing Chan & Juta Kawalerowicz, 2022. "Social Diversity and Social Cohesion in Britain," DoQSS Working Papers 22-10, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London.
    10. Salomon, Katja, 2020. "Dynamics of immigrant resentment in Europe," Discussion Papers, Presidential Department P 2020-002, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    11. Antti Kouvo & Carita Lockmer, 2013. "Imagine all the Neighbours: Perceived Neighbourhood Ethnicity, Interethnic Friendship Ties and Perceived Ethnic Threat in Four Nordic Countries," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(16), pages 3305-3322, December.
    12. Abdoulaye Diop & Yaojun Li & Majed Mohammmed H. A. Al-Ansari & Kien T. Le, 2017. "Social Capital and Citizens’ Attitudes towards Migrant Workers," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(1), pages 66-79.
    13. Abdoulaye Diop & Ashley E. Jardina & Mark Tessler & Jill Wittrock, 2017. "Antecedents of Trust among Citizens and Non-citizens in Qatar," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 183-202, February.
    14. Irene van Staveren & Zahid Pervaiz, 2017. "Is it Ethnic Fractionalization or Social Exclusion, Which Affects Social Cohesion?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(2), pages 711-731, January.
    15. Hiroshi Murayama & Reiko Arami & Tomoko Wakui & Ikuko Sugawara & Satoru Yoshie, 2014. "Cross-level interaction between individual and neighbourhood socioeconomic status in relation to social trust in a Japanese community," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 51(13), pages 2770-2786, October.
    16. J. Tolsma & T. W. G. van der Meer, 2017. "Losing Wallets, Retaining Trust? The Relationship Between Ethnic Heterogeneity and Trusting Coethnic and Non-coethnic Neighbours and Non-neighbours to Return a Lost Wallet," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 631-658, March.
    17. Fernando Mata & Ravi Pendakur, 2014. "Social Capital, Diversity and Giving or Receiving Help Among Neighbours," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 329-347, August.
    18. Alexander Tatarko & Tomas Jurcik, 2021. "Migrant Integration Policies, Perceived Group Threat and Generalized trust: a Case of European Countries," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 705-727, June.
    19. Anne Marie Jeannet, 2017. "Political Distrust in Europe: the Impact of Immigration and the Global Economic Crisis," Working Papers 102, "Carlo F. Dondena" Centre for Research on Social Dynamics (DONDENA), Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi.
    20. Andrea Tesei, 2015. "Trust and Racial Income Inequality: Evidence from the U.S," Working Papers 737, Queen Mary University of London, School of Economics and Finance.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0193337. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.