Communication of emotions between individuals from different cultural backgrounds is challenging. This research will probe two mechanisms thought to underlie these difficulties: group identification and cultural exposure. Specifically, we will examine what causes impairments in emotional communication between native Dutch people and Arabic refugees. Project 1 will examine a potential role for group identification in cross-cultural emotion recognition. Specifically, it will probe the relationship between emotion recognition and Dutch perceivers’ attitudes towards refugees. We hypothesise that stronger group identification and prejudice towards refugees will be associated with impaired emotion recognition. Project 2 will test the role of cultural exposure in emotion recognition. It will utilise the candidate’s contacts with organisations offering intercultural pairing schemes, comparing Dutch individuals who are on the waiting list to those who have already participated. We predict that Dutch people who have had more contact with refugees will be more sensitive to refugees’ emotional nonverbal cues. The results stemming from this research will enhance our understanding of emotion communication across cultures, particularly between Arabic refugees and the native Dutch. Our results will also raise awareness of the interplay between emotional communication and negative attitudes towards refugees, as well as the potential for learning through inter-group contact.