Intergroup contact can foster more positive attitudes not only toward the immediate outgroup but also toward other, unrelated outgroups—a phenomenon known as the secondary transfer effect (Pettigrew, 1998; Meleady et al., 2019). Thus, contact between age-diverse friends at work may foster greater support for the rights of other outgroups not involved in the contact, such as immigrants or people with disabilities. However, the secondary transfer effect may not occur consistently across all intergroup contact scenarios, underscoring the importance of identifying the factors that moderate its strength.

Data collection from ~250 younger-older co-worker dyads (with an age gap of ≥15 years) is on-going, with participants tested at two time points, one month apart. In this talk, we present preliminary findings from dyadic structural equation models examining key moderators of the secondary transfer effect. Specifically, we investigate whether transfer strength is moderated by: a) the perceived age difference between dyad members, where greater perceived difference — reflecting stronger outgroup salience — should enhance transfer to uninvolved outgroups; and b) perceived similarity between the co-worker's age group and target outgroups, with greater similarity facilitating stronger transfer effects.

Together, we hope to provide a better understanding of how contact in workplace contexts may offer a unique opportunity for bridging not only age divides but also wider intergroup boundaries.