118 DEBORAH KINGHAN
two aspects of reduced prejudice: more positive out-group attitudes and increased
perceptions of out-group variability. Stringer et al (2009) also demonstrated positive
outcomes of integrated education on the tolerance of political attitudes. Al Ramiah et
al (2013) found a positive relationship between contact opportunities and out-group
friendships, and a negative relationship between out-group friendships and prejudice
for Northern Irish Catholics and Protestants. Therefore, it would seem that the more
opportunities available for contact in Northern Ireland, the greater the likelihood of
intergroup friendships developing and reducing prejudice towards the out-group.
Evaluating the Optimal Conditions of Intergroup Contact in Northern Ireland
As the contact hypothesis appears to underlie many initiatives proposed to tackle
prejudice and intolerance in Northern Ireland, it is worth investigating whether
Allport’s optimal conditions can be applied to this context. This is an area that
literature specifically focusing on contact in Northern Ireland largely fails to address.
The only apparent exception is the research of Hayes, McAllister and Dowds (2007),
who highlight the optimal conditions within the context of integrated schools in
Northern Ireland. They describe the provision of opportunities to “learn
cooperatively” in order to achieve the shared goal of creating a “common heritage”,
the equality of pupils, and to receive institutional support from this section of the
education sector (Hayes, McAllister and Dowds 2007: 458). Their research on the
effects of integrated schooling on political attitudes also analysed Tropp and
Pettigrew’s (2005) findings which indicate that perceptions of optimal conditions can
vary between minority and majority status groups.
It can be argued that the main optimal conditions of contact have been realised in
Northern Ireland and consequently successful intergroup contact benefits should be
obvious. Yet, despite efforts made in post-conflict societies such as Northern Ireland
to promote positive intergroup relations, the implementation of contact policies are
often less effective than planned (Hodson and Hewstone 2012). In Northern Ireland,
intergroup difficulties exist even when optimal conditions are perceived to be taking
place. One explanation for this comes about when examining persistent segregation.
Tausch et al (2007) argue that segregation maintains its associated problems such as