The present and the future of the contact hypothesis, and the need for integrating research fields

In this introductory chapter we briefly review research conducted on intergroup contact so far. Although we now know that contact reduces prejudice, and also when and why its effects are most likely to occur, we believe there is still much in the field that we do not know. Our book considers recent developments in contact research demonstrating that this is an active research field and focuses on the integration between research areas that were often considered as separate domains. The integration of apparently distinct research areas, along with methodological advances, will allow a more precise understanding of the complex social reality and provide the basis for the development of new ideas and possible applications of intergroup contact.