Previous research shows that positive contact with members of disadvantaged groups can have positive, neutral, or negative effects on advantaged group members’ support of actions for social change towards more equality. The present work provides an experimental test of this effect and introduces two moderators which highlight the fundamental role of (a) communication about perception of the illegitimacy of intergroup inequality and (b) interpersonal connection with the contact partner. In two experiments (N = 88 and N = 192), first-time cross-group contact was initiated between members of two universities that differ on social status. Results revealed that cross-group contact per se did not increase advantaged group members’ solidarity-based action to reduce inequality. However, cross-group contact did increase advantaged group members’ solidarity-based actions when the disadvantaged group partner engaged in inequality-delegitimizing contact by describing the intergroup inequality as illegitimate and when the advantaged group member reported a strong interpersonal connection with the disadvantaged contact partner.

先前的研究表明，与弱势群体成员的积极接触可以对优势群体成员对社会变革行动的支持产生积极的、中性的或消极的影响，以实现更加平等。目前的工作提供了这种效果的实验测试，并介绍了两个调节器，它们强调了（a）关于群体间不平等的非法感知的交流和（b）与接触伙伴的人际关系的基本作用。在两个实验中（N = 88 和N= 192)，第一次跨群体接触是在两所社会地位不同的大学成员之间发起的。结果表明，跨群体接触本身并没有增加优势群体成员为减少不平等而采取的基于团结的行动。然而，当处于不利地位的群体伙伴通过将群体间不平等描述为非法而进行不平等-剥夺合法性接触时，以及当处于有利地位的群体成员报告与处于不利地位的接触伙伴有很强的人际关系时，跨群体接触确实增加了有利群体成员的基于团结的行动.