- Being assigned a Black roommate was associated with more positive attitudes toward affirmative action and diversity policies.
- Students who were assigned Black roommates during their first year report more frequent personal contact and comfortable interactions with members of other racial/ethnic groups in later years.
- White students randomly assigned African-American roommates express more positive attitudes toward affirmative action and interacted more comfortably with minorities several years after college entry than White students assigned White roommates.
- Whites become less supportive of redistributive policies when they are assigned roommates from wealthy families.
- Roommates tend to affect attitudes and intermediate behaviors, but have little or no effect on harder-to-change behavior and long-term goals.
- Mixing with members of other groups tends to make individuals more empathetic to these groups.