Work

Small gifts, big shifts? Testing the role of contact through reciprocal gifting as a prejudice reduction strategy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Through two experimental studies (pre-test/post-test/follow-up with control), we tested reciprocal gifting as an indirect contact strategy that could improve Turkish native children's attitudes towards their Syrian refugee peers in the highly prejudicial immigration context of Türkiye. In Study 1 (N = 144), children who were led to believe that they exchanged gifts with their Syrian peers showed more positive outgroup attitudes in the post-test (unlike children in the control group), while there were no significant changes in negative attitudes or social closeness. In Study 2 (N = 207), we implemented an enhanced procedure whereby children created personalized and symbolic gifts, making the reciprocal gifting experience more engaging. Although this revised approach improved positive attitudes and social closeness, negative attitudes remained unchanged, and all outcomes returned to baseline levels at the follow-up stage (approximately 40 days later) in both studies, overall providing evidence for the short-term positive effects of the reciprocal gifting strategy. We discussed the importance of implementing creative strategies in hostile school environments.

Source: British Journal of Social Psychology

DOI: 10.1111/bjso.70052

Authors: Sami Çoksan, Mustafa Tercan, Sabahat Çiğdem Bağcı, Serpil Yıldız‐Çoksan

Institutions: Western University, Erzurum Technical University, Mi̇lli̇ Eği̇ti̇m Bakanliği, Sabancı Üniversitesi, Ankara University

Language: English

Topic: Social and Intergroup Psychology

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,970