Just a matter of contact?

Due to the wave of refugees in 2015, the issues of refugees and integration gained attention. This study aims to transparently present the perceptions of people in Austria on the topic of refugees and thereby identify possible aspects for the successful integration of refugees in Austria. This was examined using social representations, which include socially formed attitudes, thoughts, prejudices and opinions (Moscovici, 1961). The contact hypothesis states that positive intercultural attitudes are achieved through increased contact with out-groups (Allports, 1954) and indirect relationships (Paolini et al., 2004). Since the field of refugee aid has gained momentum since the wave of refugees and volunteer work satisfies the needs of self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000), social representations were examined based on these various aspects.