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Foreign exchange students can serve as a valuable talent pool for host-country organizations. This study draws on the ability-motivation-opportunity framework and the intergroup contact theory to examine how foreign exchange students' motivation to study abroad, host-country language ability, and direct and indirect contact opportunities with host-country nationals are related to their willingness to work for host-country organizations. Data were collected from a multi-wave survey of 167 foreign exchange students in Germany. Providing support for our hypotheses, the results suggest that foreign exchange students' motivation to study abroad was positively related to direct contact opportunities (e.g. interacting with locals). Further, exchange students' host-country language ability was positively related to indirect contact opportunities (e.g. visiting cultural sights), which in turn was positively related to their willingness to work for host-country organizations. Opportunities for direct interpersonal contact were not significantly related to willingness to work for host-country organizations. The results also show two-way and three-way interactions among host-country ability, motivation to study abroad, and indirect contact opportunities in predicting exchange students' willingness to work for host-country organizations. Implications for theory, management practice, and policymaking are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Wild birds are considered reservoirs of poultry pathogens although transmission routes have not been conclusively established. Here we use camera trapping to study wild bird communities on commercial layer and red-legged partridge farms over a one-year timeframe. We also analyze direct and indirect interactions of other bird species with the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), a potential bridge host. Methods: We conducted camera trapping events between January 2018 and October 2019, in two caged layer farms, one free-range layer farm, and two red-legged partridge farms in South-Central Spain. Results and Discussion: We observed wild bird visits on all types of farms, with the significantly highest occurrence on red-legged partridge farms where food and water are more easily accessible, followed by commercial caged layer farms, and free-range chicken farms. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) followed by spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor) was the most encountered species on all farms, with the highest frequency in caged layer farms. On partridge farms, the house sparrow accounted for 58% of the wild bird detections, while on the free-range chicken farm, it made up 11% of the detections. Notably, the breeding season, when food and water are scarce in Mediterranean climates, saw the highest number of wild bird visits to the farms. Our findings confirm that the house sparrow, is in direct and indirect contact with layers and red-legged partridges and other wild birds independent of the type of farm. Contacts between house sparrows and other bird species were most frequent during the breeding season followed by the spring migration period. The species most frequently involved in interactions with the house sparrow belonged to the order Passeriformes. The study provides a comparative description of the composition and seasonal variations of bird communities in different types of layer/ poultry farms in Southern Spain i.e. a Mediterranean climate. It confirms the effectiveness of biosecurity measures that restrict access to feed and water. Additionally, it underscores the importance of synanthropic species, particularly the house sparrow, as potential bridge vector of avian pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common injuries in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and it is important to investigate the actual nature of the injury because it can impair a player’s performance after returning to the game. Although the moment of injury has been investigated, the details of the movements and circumstances leading to injury in basketball games are unknown. This study aimed to clarify the actions leading to ACL injuries and to investigate their characteristics, based on YouTube video analyses of the NBA players. Methods Players with ACL injuries in the NBA were identified through web-based research over 10 seasons (2011/2012–2021/2022, through October 2021), with 29 recorded videos of ACL injuries in the NBA. Actions were categorized based on basketball-specific gestures, and determined whether the player was in contact with an opponent or not and, if so, the location of the contact was analyzed focusing on two time points: at the injury frame (IF) and one step before the injury frame (IF-1). The “injury leg” timing was counted for each of the first and second steps after ball possession. Results The majority (68.2%) of ACL injury occurred during the 2 steps phase (only two steps can proceed after ball retention in basketball, so we defined them as two steps) in the offense action, and most notably during the first step (80.0%). 73.3% of players who were injured during the 2 steps phase got contact to an area other than the knee (Indirect contact) at the IF-1, with 81.8% of contact being located in the upper body contralateral to the respective knee injury. The probability of players with ACL injuries during the 2 steps at the IF-1 who got Indirect contact was statistically significantly greater than those who got no contact with other players (p = 0.042). Conclusions We argue that including pre-injury play and contact falls into the novelty category. Through YouTube-based video analyses, this study revealed that ACL injuries tend to be characterized by specific types of actions, the timing of contact, and the location of contact in NBA players.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are among the most common injuries in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and it is important to investigate the actual nature of the injury because it can impair a player's performance after returning to the game. Although the moment of injury has been investigated, the details of the movements and circumstances leading to injury in basketball games are unknown. This study aimed to clarify the actions leading to ACL injuries and to investigate their characteristics, based on YouTube video analyses of the NBA players. Methods: Players with ACL injuries in the NBA were identified through web-based research over 10 seasons (2011/2012–2021/2022, through October 2021), with 29 recorded videos of ACL injuries in the NBA. Actions were categorized based on basketball-specific gestures, and determined whether the player was in contact with an opponent or not and, if so, the location of the contact was analyzed focusing on two time points: at the injury frame (IF) and one step before the injury frame (IF-1). The "injury leg" timing was counted for each of the first and second steps after ball possession. Results: The majority (68.2%) of ACL injury occurred during the 2 steps phase (only two steps can proceed after ball retention in basketball, so we defined them as two steps) in the offense action, and most notably during the first step (80.0%). 73.3% of players who were injured during the 2 steps phase got contact to an area other than the knee (Indirect contact) at the IF-1, with 81.8% of contact being located in the upper body contralateral to the respective knee injury. The probability of players with ACL injuries during the 2 steps at the IF-1 who got Indirect contact was statistically significantly greater than those who got no contact with other players (p = 0.042). Conclusions: We argue that including pre-injury play and contact falls into the novelty category. Through YouTube-based video analyses, this study revealed that ACL injuries tend to be characterized by specific types of actions, the timing of contact, and the location of contact in NBA players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionWild birds are considered reservoirs of poultry pathogens although transmission routes have not been conclusively established. Here we use camera trapping to study wild bird communities on commercial layer and red-legged partridge farms over a one-year timeframe. We also analyze direct and indirect interactions of other bird species with the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), a potential bridge host.MethodsWe conducted camera trapping events between January 2018 and October 2019, in two caged layer farms, one free-range layer farm, and two red-legged partridge farms in South-Central Spain.Results and DiscussionWe observed wild bird visits on all types of farms, with the significantly highest occurrence on red-legged partridge farms where food and water are more easily accessible, followed by commercial caged layer farms, and free-range chicken farms. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) followed by spotless starlings (Sturnus unicolor) was the most encountered species on all farms, with the highest frequency in caged layer farms. On partridge farms, the house sparrow accounted for 58% of the wild bird detections, while on the free-range chicken farm, it made up 11% of the detections. Notably, the breeding season, when food and water are scarce in Mediterranean climates, saw the highest number of wild bird visits to the farms. Our findings confirm that the house sparrow, is in direct and indirect contact with layers and red-legged partridges and other wild birds independent of the type of farm. Contacts between house sparrows and other bird species were most frequent during the breeding season followed by the spring migration period. The species most frequently involved in interactions with the house sparrow belonged to the order Passeriformes. The study provides a comparative description of the composition and seasonal variations of bird communities in different types of layer/ poultry farms in Southern Spain i.e. a Mediterranean climate. It confirms the effectiveness of biosecurity measures that restrict access to feed and water. Additionally, it underscores the importance of synanthropic species, particularly the house sparrow, as potential bridge vector of avian pathogens.

In line with current developments in indirect intergroup contact literature, we conducted a field study using the imagined contact paradigm among high‐status (Italian children) and low‐status (children with foreign origins) group members (N = 122; 53 females, mean age = 7.52 years). The experiment aimed to improve attitudes and behavior toward a different low‐status group, children with disability. To assess behavior, we focused on an objective measure that captures the physical distance between participants and a child with disability over the course of a five‐minute interaction (i.e., while playing together). Results from a 3‐week intervention revealed that in the case of high‐status children imagined contact, relative to a no‐intervention control condition, improved outgroup attitudes and behavior, and strengthened helping and contact intentions. These effects however did not emerge among low‐status children. The results are discussed in the context of intergroup contact literature, with emphasis on the implications of imagined contact for educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on intergroup contact has considered how the occurrence and experience of contact is affected by ingroup members. Qualitative studies of contact in real-life settings have additionally highlighted how multiple actors can affect the manifestation of contact. This article shows how the presence of one’s child can shape immigrant mothers’ contact experiences in multi-ethnic neighbourhoods. Ten immigrant mothers living in Helsinki, Finland, were interviewed twice over a six-month period about their intergroup interactions in their locale. Using a thematic analysis, we identified three themes depicting immigrant mothers’ experiences of intergroup contacts in their child’s presence: i) feeling visible to others, ii) seeking harmonious contact, and iii) anticipating problems. The results illustrate how a child affords unique opportunities for an immigrant mother to engage in interethnic contact, but also brings distinctive threats. This suggests the need to further consider how different types of intragroup dynamics can shape intergroup contacts.

We conducted a vicarious contact intervention with the aim of promoting bystanders' intentions to react to stigma‐based bullying among schoolchildren. Participants were Italian primary schoolchildren (N = 117 first to third graders); the outgroup was represented by foreign children. Vicarious contact was operationalized with story reading, creating fairy tales on stigma‐based bullying where minority characters were bullied by majority characters. Once a week for 3 weeks, participants were read fairy tales in small groups by an experimenter and engaged in reinforcing activities. Results revealed that the intervention increased intergroup empathy (but not intergroup perspective‐taking) and anti‐bullying peer norms and fostered contact intentions. The intervention also had indirect effects via intergroup empathy on helping and contact intentions and on bystanders' reactions to stigma based‐bullying. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, also in terms of the relevance of the present results for school policy. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention using indirect intergroup contact for improving intergroup attitudes in schools, in particular anti-Roma prejudice. Vicarious contact—a form of indirect intergroup contact—can be experienced through fictional book characters, who can serve as positive role models in terms of intergroup attitude improvement. A vicarious contact experiment was conducted with sixth grade students (N = 177) from three Slovak elementary schools, using passages from the Harry Potter series. A three-group pretest-posttest design was adopted; experimental condition 1 involved reading passages without subsequent discussion, experimental condition 2 involved reading the same passages followed by a discussion, while the control group was not involved in any activities. There was a significant improvement of intergroup attitudes in experimental condition 2 compared to the control group, while condition 1 did not show any such improvement. The first contribution of the study is in tackling conceptually distinct mediators of the intervention's effect – perspective taking and narrative transportation. The second contribution is in demonstrating the added value of discussion in interventions focused on prejudice reduction in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acculturation theorists have proposed that minority and majority members' endorsement of the cultural integration orientation should positively impact their mutual intergroup relations. To examine this claim, the study develops and experimentally tests a vicarious intercultural contact strategy designed to promote integration endorsement among a sample of 379 British youths (aged between 18 and 21 years), of whom 172 were British Muslims and 207 were White British. In line with theoretical expectations, results revealed that integration attained through vicarious contact, relative to a control condition, reduced respondents' negative emotions, increased their positive emotions and inclusion of the other in the self (IOS), and improved their outgroup attitudes. These effects were only present in the Muslim group. Integration effects on outgroup attitude outcomes were mediated by intergroup emotions and IOS. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research provides an in-depth examination of the interplay between diverse information propagation and epidemic spread within a two-layer network, placing particular emphasis on the implications of both direct and indirect modes of disease transmission. Individuals are categorized based on their susceptibility to and their capacity for disease propagation, while the influence of varying infection rates on epidemic expansion is investigated. Information is bifurcated into constructive narratives with beneficial outcomes, and detrimental narratives originating from rumors. The method of information dispersion incorporates considerations such as herd behavior, preventative costs, and individual risk perception. Utilizing the Microscopic Markov Chain Approach (MMCA), a dynamic equation is formulated to delineate epidemic propagation and the epidemic threshold for the proposed model is calculated. Results demonstrate that promoting swift dissemination of positive information, concurrently with curbing the spread of negative narratives, can appreciably mitigate epidemic proliferation. The findings also imply that facilitating access to beneficial information, minimizing the consequences of harmful narratives, decreasing prevention-related expenses, and enhancing personal risk perception can significantly reduce the ultimate magnitude of the epidemic. Notably, the study reveals that indirect contact can considerably augment epidemic spread. As the infection rate via indirect contact escalities, the extent of epidemic transmission broadens and the threshold for epidemic transmission diminishes. • Information dissemination and epidemic spreading are intertwined on a two-layer network. • Multiple information, prevention cost and risk perception are considered in the model. • Results indicate indirect contact can also promote epidemic spreading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The School of Dialogue is an intergroup intervention based on active engagement with historical ethnic diversity (i.e., contact with a multicultural past). Importantly, the intervention aims to ameliorate ethnic Poles' attitudes toward Jews and improve levels of social capital (civic engagement and social trust) in Poland. We review and meta-analyze eight studies that evaluated the effects of the intervention conducted between 2012 and 2019 (Ntotal = 3,948). The results show that participation in the intervention contributes to building knowledge and interest in local history, more positive attitudes toward Jewish people, and toward ethnic diversity in general. Attendees of the program developed stronger place attachment and civic engagement intentions, but their general social trust and attitudes toward other ethnic outgroups (e.g., Roma people) remained unchanged. These results provide strong support that the School of Dialogue is an effective intervention that promotes positive intergroup relations as well as stronger and more active bonds with one's place of residence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on intergroup contact has considered how the occurrence and experience of contact is affected by ingroup members. Qualitative studies of contact in real-life settings have additionally highlighted how multiple actors can affect the manifestation of contact. This article shows how the presence of one's child can shape immigrant mothers' contact experiences in multi-ethnic neighbourhoods. Ten immigrant mothers living in Helsinki, Finland, were interviewed twice over a six-month period about their intergroup interactions in their locale. Using a thematic analysis, we identified three themes depicting immigrant mothers' experiences of intergroup contacts in their child's presence: i) feeling visible to others, ii) seeking harmonious contact, and iii) anticipating problems. The results illustrate how a child affords unique opportunities for an immigrant mother to engage in interethnic contact, but also brings distinctive threats. This suggests the need to further consider how different types of intragroup dynamics can shape intergroup contacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fictional narratives can serve as an indirect contact strategy when direct contact between two groups is not feasible. This study investigated whether exposing cisgender individuals to transgender-related fiction was associated with reduced transnegativity. Two emotion-related mediators were examined in this relationship: transportation into the story (proximal to fiction exposure) and intergroup anxiety (proximal to contact theory). Cisgender participants (N = 84) viewed or read stories involving transgender characters or read a science article. Those who encountered transgender characters reported lower transnegativity than those who read the control story. Transportation into the story and intergroup anxiety serially mediated this relationship. The findings suggest conditions under which a fictional story can expand an audience's social world and thereby serve as a strategy for prejudice reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several propagation routes drive animal disease dissemination, and among these routes, contaminated vehicles traveling between farms have been associated with indirect disease transmission. In this study, we used near-real-time vehicle movement data and vehicle cleaning efficacy to reconstruct the between-farm dissemination of the African swine fever virus (ASFV). We collected one year of Global Positioning System data of 823 vehicles transporting feed, pigs, and people to 6363 swine production farms in two regions in the U.S. Without cleaning, vehicles connected up to 2157 farms in region one and 437 farms in region two. Individually, in region one vehicles transporting feed connected 2151 farms, pigs to farms 2089 farms, pigs to market 1507 farms, undefined vehicles 1760 farm, and personnel three farms. The simulation results indicated that the contact networks were reduced the most for crew transport vehicles with a 66% reduction, followed by vehicles carrying pigs to market and farms, with reductions of 43% and 26%, respectively, when 100% cleaning efficacy was achieved. The results of this study showed that even when vehicle cleaning and disinfection are 100% effective, vehicles are still connected to numerous farms. This emphasizes the importance of better understanding transmission risks posed by vehicles to the swine industry and regulatory agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phones are among the most highly touched personal objects. As part of a broader study on the contribution of fomites to influenza transmission, between 2017 and 2019, we swabbed mobile phones from 138 patients with influenza in 2 locations. Influenza viral RNA detection rates were 23% (23 of 99 phones) and 36% (14 of 39) in Hong Kong and Maryland, respectively. In Hong Kong, infectious influenza virus was recovered from 3 of 23 mobile phones which had influenza viral RNA detected. Mobile phone influenza contamination was positively associated with upper respiratory tract viral load and negatively associated with age. Cleaning personal objects of patients with influenza should be recommended, and individuals should avoid sharing objects with these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on biomaterials typically starts with cytocompatibility evaluation, using the ISO 10993-5 standard as a reference that relies on extract tests to determine whether the material is safe (cell metabolic activity should exceed 70 %). However, the generalized approach within the standard may not accurately reflect the material's behavior in direct contact with cells, raising concerns about its effectiveness. Calcium phosphates (CaPs) are a group of materials that, despite being highly biocompatible and promoting bone formation, still exhibit inconsistencies in basic cytotoxicity evaluations. Hence, in order to test the cytocompatibility dependence on different experimental setups and material-cell interactions, we used amorphous calcium phosphate, α-tricalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, and octacalcium phosphate (0.1 mg/mL to 5 mg/mL) with core cell lines of bone microenvironment: mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblast-like and endothelial cells. All materials have been characterized for their physicochemical properties before and after cellular contact and once in vitro assays were finalized, groups identified as 'cytotoxic' were further analyzed using a modified Annexin V apoptosis assay to accurately determine cell death. The obtained results showed that indirect contact following ISO standards had no sensitivity of tested cells to the materials, but direct contact tests at physiological concentrations revealed decreased metabolic activity and viability. In summary, our findings offer valuable guidelines for handling biomaterials, especially in powder form, to better evaluate their biological properties and avoid false negatives commonly associated with the traditional standard approach., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors do not have any conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The longstanding Jewish–Arab conflict poses a great challenge to the State of Israel and is the source of fear and mutual suspicion in Jewish and Arab societies. The Bedouins are part of the Arab society and face additional difficulties and challenges related to their low socioeconomic status and issues surrounding land encroachment. Israel has separate education systems based on the students' ethnicity and religion. However, the Ministry of Education encourages intercultural teaching in which teachers from one society teach in schools of another society. This study focused on science teaching encounters between preservice teachers (PSTs) from the Bedouin society and students from the majority Jewish society. We examined the influence of these encounters on the PSTs' self-confidence and sense of belonging. Since the meetings took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, most of them were held via Zoom. The Zoom platform allowed the PSTs and the students to "enter" each other's homes, reinforcing Allport's contact hypothesis. From the PSTs' descriptions of their experiences, the gradual change in their feelings can be observed from foreignness and fear to familiarity and closeness. Based on our findings and an online intergroup template, we propose a new 3-step intergroup contact model: indirect contact via Zoom designed to enhance familiarity between the groups in safe conditions; direct contact that helps develop closer relationships, and assimilation of the process into everyday life. • Academic encounters are a good foundation for reducing anxiety between rival groups and promoting trust and cooperation. • Zoom meetings introduce participants into each other's homes and help achieve cultural familiarity and closeness. • Encounters between rival groups in which PSTs are from the minority have the potential to enhance the PSTs' self-confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined an online professional development program designed to support meaningful acquaintance and reduce stereotypes and prejudices among teachers from different cultures in Israeli society. The rationale of the online program was based on the premise that indirect online contact might improve intergroup relations in diverse societies. The program was designed to progress gradually, starting from basic and leading to a deeper acquaintance, using a variety of computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools. Findings indicated that upon program completion, participants were more respectful towards one another than pre-program. They held a positive view of online learning and were open to multiculturalism (more tolerant and accepting of others than previously) while still maintaining their respective cultural identities. The program participants noticed the gradual progression in task design, expressly noting that this stepwise structure supported forging a connection and then fostering familiarization. This study fills a gap in the research through demonstrating ways that online contact (indirect contact) can be used to promote acquaintance and reduce stereotypes and prejudices among teachers from different groups in Israeli society.

We conducted an experimental intervention to test the effectiveness of vicarious contact in the relationship between Turkish and Syrian elementary school children; the participants were Turkish children. We used a mixed‐methods approach, investigating effects by using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Participants in the experimental condition were asked to read stories on positive contact between Turkish and Syrian children over the course of six weekly sessions. The results revealed that vicarious contact, compared to a control condition where participants did not engage in any activity, led to greater intentions to help outgroup members. Importantly, effects only emerged among children who reported higher initial negative outgroup attitudes. Results from qualitative data revealed that vicarious contact produced richer, more positive, and complex representations of the relationships and friendships between groups. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modes of intergroup contact, both direct and indirect, have become a focal point for the contact literature over the past decade or more. As part of our developing understanding of when and why certain types of contact improve intergroup relations, this paper examines some theoretical concepts useful for organizing modes of contact, building on previous schemes in the literature. It explores the idea that experiences in one type of contact generalize to other modes of contact. It then considers the degree to which individuals have choice about which mode of contact to use, and indeed whether they have choice about having contact at all, as well as whether such choices are associated with the valence of the contact. These ideas are developed into a model of flexibility in if and how to engage in contact, including the positive and negative consequences thereof. The model contributes to the literature's ability to consider both whether contact occurs and how it happens in a single framework. The paper considers whether societal inequality is reflected in the kinds of contact choices available to those with privilege and those without. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about intergroup contact have a long and somewhat tortuous history. Shaped largely by Social Darwinism dogma, early theorizing anticipated negative effects. Following World War II, however, a more optimistic view took hold, and social psychological research began to study the phenomenon. Allport's (1954) influential book, the Nature of Prejudice, focused social psychological attention on intergroup contact and shaped research on it for the rest of the 20th century. Now the domain has developed into a complex and intricate theory, complete with multiple forms of contact and numerous moderating and mediating variables—as demonstrated in the articles throughout this JSI issue. Within this historical context of the theory's development, this article then comments on each of the previous articles and their further advances to the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined an online professional development program designed to support meaningful acquaintance and reduce stereotypes and prejudices among teachers from different cultures in Israeli society. The rationale of the online program was based on the premise that indirect online contact might improve intergroup relations in diverse societies. The program was designed to progress gradually, starting from basic and leading to a deeper acquaintance, using a variety of computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools. Findings indicated that upon program completion, participants were more respectful towards one another than pre-program. They held a positive view of online learning and were open to multiculturalism (more tolerant and accepting of others than previously) while still maintaining their respective cultural identities. The program participants noticed the gradual progression in task design, expressly noting that this stepwise structure supported forging a connection and then fostering familiarization. This study fills a gap in the research through demonstrating ways that online contact (indirect contact) can be used to promote acquaintance and reduce stereotypes and prejudices among teachers from different groups in Israeli society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that vicarious contact, that is observing an interaction between ingroup and outgroup members, can improve intergroup relations. Although vicarious contact has been operationalized in different ways, mainly via story reading or video watching, an experimental comparison of these different strategies is still missing. We conducted a school intervention with the aim of comparing the two most used forms of vicarious contact, namely story reading and video watching. Elementary schoolchildren without disabilities (N = 292) were assigned to one of three different conditions: reading a story; watching a video; control. In the two vicarious contact conditions, participants read or watched the story of a child with disability becoming friends with children without disabilities; in the control condition, participants only completed the dependent measures. Results revealed that, in general, both vicarious contact conditions were equally effective in improving outgroup attitudes and behavioural intentions. In addition, they operated with the same strength through the same underlying processes (IOS, ingroup norms). We discuss theoretical and practical implications in the context of vicarious contact as a prejudice‐reduction intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In post-conflict and segregated societies, overcoming high prejudice between groups is essential for peaceful coexistence. In this paper, we explore the roles of direct contact (face-to-face contact and cross-group friendship) and indirect contact (extended cross-group friendship) in reducing prejudice between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots living in Cyprus. Moreover, this study further explores whether the effects of direct and indirect contact vary between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots, as well as across a ten-year period. To explore these issues, we analyze data from different representative samples of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots at two different time points (years 2007 and 2017). The results suggest that all three forms of contact have significant effects on prejudice. However, they also exhibit some variations by community (but not year of data collection) in the effects of direct (but not indirect) contact on prejudice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The imagined contact method of cognitively manipulating intergroup relations has been reported to be widely successful in improving attitude toward the outgroup. However, little has been reported on its durability. Study 1 was conducted to test the stimulus scenario, involving 282 students who were given either an imagined contact scenario or a control, featuring Chinese as the outgroup. Pre-post measures of intergroup attitude were obtained. Imagined contact group showed some improvement in attitude. In study 2, the same method was applied to non-student participants (N=134), but this time, measurements were taken before, right after, one week after and one month after administering the imagined contact approach. Results indicated that the effect of imagined contact did not dissipate after one week, and even one month, particularly for the perception of social distance, but not for other measures. We discussed the potential of imagined contact in its application as a viable means of improving intergroup attitude toward Chinese in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined a professional development program aimed at supporting Jewish civics teachers in their efforts to promote empathy among their students toward Israeli Arabs. Previous results indicated an increase in outgroup empathy among teachers who watched and reflected upon clips from a television sitcom. This article focuses on skills teachers developed and strategies they designed and implemented following their experience with empathy processes. Our findings underscore the educative potential of indirect mediated contact in segregated societies, and the importance of developing empathic processes among teachers before they embark on the challenge of supporting their students in such endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elk (Cervus canadensis), a native species on the Canadian Prairies, makes extensive use of agro-ecosystems. Feral Swine (Sus scrofa) is a highly invasive species introduced to western Canada in the late 1980s; it is now endemic and rapidly expanding its range across the Canadian Prairies. Here we consider a series of 14 trail camera photos obtained near St. Breiux, Saskatchewan on 18 November 2018. Taken at night over 67 minutes, they document close, non-aggressive encounters between Elk and Feral Swine. We believe that these are the first documented observations of close (<5 m) interactions between free-ranging Elk and Feral Swine in North America that include no indications of fear response or displacement of one species by the other. These types of indirect interactions among species have important implications in terms of potential risk of disease transmission and interpreting potential ecological impacts of invasive Feral Swine on native large mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Paralympic Committee, institution that regulates Paralympic sport, as well as some representatives of cities / countries that host the Paralympic Games claim that these Games are an important platform for changing perceptions of society regarding the capabilities of people with disabilities (PwD). Considering these allegations, we developed a research that had as a goal to verify if individuals who had contact with the Paralympic Games changed their perception toward the abilities of PwD. The research was qualitative and exploratory. The data collection was based on semi-structured interviews conducted between April and July 2018. We interviewed 50 academics from different courses at Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR). We did a thematic analysis of the data and used the Intergroup Contact Theory (TCEG) for the discussion. The results of this work reaffirm the TCEG thesis that postulates that both direct and indirect contact with distinct groups can serve as a tool to reduce prejudice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored whether mediated intergroup contact might stimulate other forms of intergroup contact. Our study compared two forms of mediated contact: vicarious intergroup contact (exposure to an intergroup relationship) and parasocial contact (exposure to just outgroup members) in terms of their potential to stimulate spontaneous imagined intergroup contact. We also examined whether that spontaneous imagined contact would increase desire for face-to-face contact. Results showed that vicarious contact elicited more imagined contact when the media stimulus was low in richness. A path model from vicarious contact to face-to-face contact via imagined contact was supported, however the direction of effects was the opposite of our hypothesis. The more participants engaged in imagined contact with outgroup members in which group memberships were salient, the less they wanted to meet outgroup members in person. We speculate that the surprising effects are a result of the potential for our experimental stimuli to encourage group salient, and therefore negative imagined contact. However, our work demonstrates the ability for mediated contact to trigger spontaneous imagined contact, and some positive links between (non-outgroup-specific) imagined contact and increased desire for intergroup contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to create an engaging and dynamic intervention for schools that uses videos of direct school peer contact to implement a vicarious contact intervention. Participants were ethnic majority (Italian) and minority (immigrant) high school students (N = 485; age ranging from 14 to 22 years old, M age = 17.24 years), who were asked to watch and evaluate videos created by peers from their school for a competition for the best video on intercultural friendships. Results revealed that vicarious contact, relative to a control condition where participants were not shown any videos, improved outgroup attitudes, reduced negative outgroup stereotypes, and increased willingness to engage in contact with the outgroup. These effects only emerged when intercultural friendships in the videos were salient. Inclusion of the other in the self, but neither intergroup anxiety nor fear of rejection by the outgroup, significantly mediated the effect of the videos on outcomes. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the extended contact hypothesis, knowing that in-group members have cross-group friends improves attitudes toward this out-group. This meta-analysis covers the 20 years of research that currently exists on the extended contact hypothesis, and consists of 248 effect sizes from 115 studies. The aggregate relationship between extended contact and intergroup attitudes was r = .25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [.22, .27], which reduced to r = .17, 95% CI = [.14, .19] after removing direct friendship's contribution; these results suggest that extended contact's hypothesized relationship to intergroup attitudes is small-to-medium and exists independently of direct friendship. This relationship was larger when extended contact was perceived versus actual, highlighting the importance of perception in extended contact. Current results on extended contact mostly resembled their direct friendship counterparts, suggesting similarity between these contact types. These unique insights about extended contact and its relationship with direct friendship should enrich and spur growth within this literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to store thermal energy at a low temperature, three types of latent heat storage systems are presented and compared. The storage systems are a direct contact latent heat storage system, a latent heat system with an encapsulated phase change material (PCM) and a water reservoir with a PCM jacket. These heat systems are utilized for an efficient use of renewable energies and low‐temperature waste heat. The storage medium is a salt hydrate with a melting point of 27 °C. This work presents the three concepts including corresponding applications and a discussion of the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Visitation in child welfare has been shown to result in both positive and negative effects. • Guidelines on visitation produced by governmental child welfare agencies in the United States are often sparse and do not provide enough advice to maximize benefits and mitigate harm. • The guidelines also do not accurately reflect the findings of recent research in many areas of practice. • Updating and expanding the guidelines could function as one vehicle to improve practice. Contact between children in care and their families and affiliates is an important component of child welfare practice. Depending on how visitation is handled and the readiness of the parties to interact, contact can result in positive or negative effects. However, scholars find that workers who supervise and arrange visitation often lack the requisite skills and knowledge to conduct visits in the most beneficial ways. As agency policies, particularly when they are research-informed, influence practice, this study analyzes the guidelines on visitation collected from the state child welfare agencies in the United States of America (USA) and compares them with research findings and researchers' recommendations for best practices. The materials analyzed were collected from 43 states and included pages from policy manuals or administrative standards, tip sheets for case workers, brochures developed for families, stand-alone guidelines, and documentation forms. The guidelines vary widely in terms of the amount and specificity of information they contain, but their overall coverage of topics is sparse and not always in line with research findings. A need exists to update and expand the guidelines, which could then function as one tool to improve practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on the socialisation of prejudice has concentrated on “vertical” processes (from parents to children), ignoring siblings’ contribution. This work aims to investigate the effect of contact (direct or indirect) with the outgroup that young people experience a) directly or b) indirectly through older or younger siblings’ friendships. Our hypotheses are a) that young people with friends in the outgroup will report lower prejudice levels (direct contact), as will young people who have older or younger siblings with friends in the outgroup (indirect contact); b) that other forms of contact such as having classmates/coworkers, neighbours, or employees are not effective in reducing either direct or indirect prejudice. 88 sibling dyads were administered the blatant and subtle prejudice questionnaire (Pettigrew & Meertens, 1995) and some ad hoc items aimed at investigating the typology of the contact experienced. The analysis of mixed ANOVA reveals that the first hypothesis was partially confirmed in that prejudice (subtle for the younger sibling and blatant for the older one) decreases in a statistically significant way only when there is the co-presence of direct and indirect contact. The second hypothesis is fully confirmed as no statistically significant differences emerged between the groups.