Cross-group friendships and outgroup attitudes among Turkish–Kurdish ethnic groups: does perceived interethnic conflict moderate the friendship-attitude link?

Abstract

We investigated associations between cross-group friendships, perceived interethnic conflict, and outgroup attitudes in the context of intractable Turkish–Kurdish conflict in Turkey. Measures of cross-group friendship quantity, perceived conflict, outgroup attitudes, multiculturalism, and outgroup responsibility for conflict were completed by Turkish (N = 320) and Kurdish (N = 153) participants (Mage = 21, 156 males, 317 females). Both cross-group friendships and perceived conflict were related to outcome variables. While cross-group friendships were beneficial for both groups’ outgroup attitudes when perceived conflict was lower; when perceived conflict level was higher, positive associations between friendships and attitudes became non-significant for the Turkish group and negative for the Kurdish group. Implications of the findings for the intergroup contact theory have been discussed.