Do Profile Photos Enhance Vicarious Intergroup Contact? Testing Theoretical Perspectives from Social Identity, the Social Identity Model of Deindividuation Effects (SIDE), and Social Presence
Published online on July 06, 2026
Abstract
Communication Research, Ahead of Print.
Profile photos are ubiquitous in online environments, yet little is known about how they shape observers’ impressions when mediated interactions involve members of different social groups. This experiment (N= 1,661) examined how profile photos influence ...
Profile photos are ubiquitous in online environments, yet little is known about how they shape observers’ impressions when mediated interactions involve members of different social groups. This experiment (N= 1,661) examined how profile photos influence ...