Intergroup contact theory: examining knowledge sharing among individuals from different tribes

Abstract

Several studies have been conducted to confirm the robustness of intergroup contact theory to reduce sentiments among people from different races, nationalities, and languages. However, reviews conducted show that none of these studies examined the applicability of the intergroup contact theory to reduce prejudice among people from a multitribal context where the people share similar characteristics, but have sentiments against each other due to tribalism. The study examines the applicability of intergroup contact theory to promote positive attitudes among individuals to share knowledge in a multitribal context. A quantitative approach was adopted using questionnaires collected from two hundred and ninety-three lecturers from ten polytechnics in Ghana. Multivariate analysis revealed that equal status, cooperativeness and common goals have positive influence on an individual's attitude to share knowledge in a multitribal context. However, the influence of institutional support was not supported. The results of the study suggest the applicability of the intergroup contact theory explains how to promote a positive attitude in a multitribal context.