Intervention: UYVT program—a randomized field experiment—provided vocational training to 849 young Muslims and Christians.
Duration: Sixteen weeks of intergroup social contact focused on skill-building rather than peace messaging.
Findings: While prejudice remained unchanged, subjects in mixed socioeconomic classes discriminated significantly less against out-group members. Conversely, homogeneous-class participants showed increased discrimination compared to non-UYVT counterparts.
Why It Matters: This study reveals a complex dynamic where structured contact can reduce reported bias but fails to alter underlying prejudiced attitudes. The findings suggest that negative consequences of in-group social contact may arise when groups are socioeconomically similar.
