An Examination of Interracial Contact:The Influence of Cross-Race Interpersonal Efficacy and Affect Regulation

The ability of employees to interact cooperatively and collaboratively is the fulcrum of competitive advantage for organizations operating in pluralistic environments. Contact theory suggests several conditions under which effective interpersonal relationships across racial, ethnic, and cultural gro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human resource development review 2007-09, Vol.6 (3), p.222-244
Main Authors: Combs, Gwendolyn M., Griffith, Jakari
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Affective Behavior
Affirmative action
Bias
Cognition & reasoning
Collegiality
Cultural Differences
Employees
Employment discrimination
Employment Opportunities
Epistemology
Ethnic Stereotypes
Group dynamics
Human Capital
Human Resources
Hypotheses
Influence
Intergroup Relations
Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal Competence
Interpersonal Relationship
Job Satisfaction
Labor Force Development
Meta Analysis
Minority & ethnic groups
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Organization theory
Organizational behavior
Perceptions
Prejudice
Professional relationships
Race
Racial Bias
Racial Differences
Racial Factors
Racial identity
Racial Relations
Racism
Self Control
Self Efficacy
Social Cognition
Social Theories
Stereotypes
Studies
Trends
Work Environment
Workplace diversity
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Summary:The ability of employees to interact cooperatively and collaboratively is the fulcrum of competitive advantage for organizations operating in pluralistic environments. Contact theory suggests several conditions under which effective interpersonal relationships across racial, ethnic, and cultural groups may occur. Research examining the contact hypothesis has been mixed. The explanation of this inconsistency in the research generally centers on procedural rather than cognitive aspects of the interactions. This article discusses the contact hypothesis with respect to social cognitive functioning of interaction participants. We propose that positive outcomes from application of the contact hypothesis may be influenced by the individual employees' level of cross-race interpersonal efficacy and affect regulation. An investigation of the influence of cross-race interpersonal efficacy and affect regulation may lead to a more developed theoretical understanding of the variance currently associated with the application of the contact hypothesis.
ISSN:1534-4843
1552-6712
DOI:10.1177/1534484307303990