Friendships and outgroup attitudes among ethnic minority youth: The mediating role of ethnic and host society identification

This study investigates among ethnic minority adolescents how friendships with ethnic minority and majority group peers are related to their attitudes towards the majority outgroup.Friendships with majority group peers are proposed to be indirectly related to outgroup attitudes through host society identification. Friendships with ethnic ingroup peers are proposed to be indirectly related to outgroup attitudes through ethnic ingroup identification.Hypotheses were tested longitudinally among ethnic minority adolescents (n = 244) who recently entered middle schools in the Netherlands. Lagged structural equation models showed that friendships with majority group peers were related to stronger identification with the host society which was in turn related to improved attitudes toward the majority outgroup. Ingroup friendships and ingroup identification was not related to outgroup attitudes. Additional analyses indicated that the relation between host society identification and majority group friendships was bidirectional.     

Understandings of national identity and outgroup attitudes in culturally diverse Mauritius

This study investigated understandings of national group belonging in relation to attitudes toward foreign and established outgroups in Mauritius. Representative data were collected among the three numerically largest ethno-cultural groups (Hindus, Muslims, and Creoles; N_total = 1770) and results confirmed a distinction between “being,” “doing,” and “feeling” Mauritian among all three groups, with some small differences for Creoles compared to Hindus and Muslims. Furthermore, “being” Mauritian was not significantly related to attitudes toward established and foreign outgroups. In contrast, the “doing” understanding was negatively associated with both attitudes, and the “feeling” understanding showed positive associations with both outgroup attitudes among all three participant groups. The findings make a novel contribution to the literature on how people understand national identity, how these understandings differ between ethno-cultural groups within a nation, and how these relate to attitudes toward foreign as well as established outgroups.     

Acculturation orientations and religious identity as predictors of Anglo-Australians’ attitudes towards Australian Muslims

Poll studies have shown an increase in Anglo-Australians’ negative attitudes towards Australian Muslims. Such studies, however, by their nature present Anglo-Australians as a relatively unified group, making a limited scientific contribution to the understanding of intergroup relations. The present study aimed at revealing differences within Anglo-Australians by examining the extent to which their acculturation orientations and religious identity play a role in differentiating the levels of positive and negative attitudes they hold towards Australian Muslims. A total of 170 second year University students (116 females and 54 males) with a mean age of 22.09 (SD = 5.98) participated in the study. Generally, findings revealed that while Integrationist and Individualist were the most endorsed acculturation orientations, Assimilationist and Segregationist emerged the least, and participants recorded more positive attitudes towards Muslims than negative attitudes. Additionally, Integrationist and Individualist orientations were positively related to positive attitudes and negatively related to negative attitudes; the reverse was the case for Assimilationist and Segregationist orientations. Religious identity of Anglo-Australians predicted positive attitudes towards Australian Muslims but did not predict negative attitudes.     

Examining the effect of perceived group norms on the indirect relationship between intergroup contact and anti-Muslim prejudice among white Americans

Prior studies have found that normative group pressure plays a significant role in shaping prejudice-related attitudes. The present paper examined the role of perceived group norms on the indirect relationship between intergroup contact and anti-Muslim prejudice in a cross-sectional sample of 428 non-Hispanic White American adults, the racial group with the strongest anti-Muslim sentiment. To begin, we tested the indirect relationship between intergroup contact and anti-Muslim prejudice via perceived realistic and symbolic threats as well as intergroup anxiety. Next, we tested whether these mediation effects were conditional on whether group norms were perceived as tolerant or intolerant. We employed Process Macro to test these hypotheses. Our data confirmed (partial) mediation of the contact-prejudice relationship via threat perceptions and intergroup anxiety. Moreover, the moderated mediation analysis showed that while the mediation effects of threat perceptions were not conditional on perceived group norms, the mediation effect of intergroup anxiety was. Specifically, for respondents with perceived intolerant norms, negative intergroup contact demonstrated a stronger relationship with anti-Muslim prejudice through intergroup anxiety compared to respondents with perceived tolerant norms. Furthermore, given the possible bidirectionality of the contact-prejudice relationship, we tested an alternative model examining whether perceived intolerant norms mediate the effect of prejudice on contact. Our data supported this hypothesis, fitting a model that prejudice creates the intolerant group norms that in turn leads to negative contact with Muslims. The alternative model in fact showed a better fit to the data than the proposed model. This study advances theories of contact, integrated threats, and group norm theory to the context of intergroup relations with Muslims. Our findings provide support for the notion of changing the normative climate, and equally promoting positive intergroup contact, with the goal of enhancing relations between Muslim and non-Muslim individuals.     

Positive and negative intergroup contact and willingness to engage in intergroup interactions among majority (Han) and minority (Uyghur) group members in China: The moderating role of social dominance orientation

The present study investigated whether the associations of positive and negative intergroup contact with behavioral intentions (intentions to have contact with the outgroup in the future) are moderated by social dominance orientation (SDO), by considering the perspective of both majority and minority group members in China. Participants were 325 Han (majority) and 373 Uyghur (minority) members, who completed a self-report questionnaire. Results indicated that positive contact was associated with more positive behavioral intentions among high-SDO majority group members, whereas SDO did not moderate the association between positive contact and behavioral intentions among minority group members. In addition, negative contact was associated with lower behavioral intentions among high-SDO majority group members, and among low-SDO minority group members. This study suggests that attention should be placed simultaneously on positive and negative contact and on individual difference variables relevant to social ideologies, such as SDO.     

In-group and out-group attitudes of ethnic majority and minority children

Research indicates that ethnic majority group children show a consistent preference for their ethnic in-group, whereas the ethnic preferences of minority groups are less conclusive. The present study assessed the ethnic attitudes of 5–12-year-old children from an ethnic majority group (59 Anglo-Australian) and a minority group (60 Pacific Islander). Participants rated members of Anglo-Australian, Pacific Islander, and Aboriginal (indigenous Australian) groups. Results revealed that the majority group participants rated the in-group more positively than the two out-groups, with the indigenous out-group being rated less positively. In contrast, the ethnic minority participants rated the in-group and the ethnic majority out-group equally positively, while the Aboriginal out-group was also rated least positively. A preference for in-group neighbours was also displayed by both the ethnic majority and ethnic minority participants, with the Aboriginal out-group again being least preferred as neighbours. The results also revealed that these effects varied with age for the ethnic majority, but not the ethnic minority group participants. The results are discussed in relation to findings on children's ethnic attitudes and intercultural relations.     

Intergroup contact in context: The mediating role of social norms and group-based perceptions on the contact–prejudice link

The prejudice-reducing effects of intergroup contact have been well documented. However few studies have investigated the importance of the broader context within which contact occurs. The current study examined the predictors of social distance from Muslims in a large sample of Australian secondary school children (N = 980). Intergroup contact was an important predictor of reduced social distance even after demographics and perceptions of parents, school, media and broader intergroup dynamics were taken into account. However, in part the contact–social distance relationship was mediated by perceived parental support for intergroup relations and perceived fairness of media representation. Student's perceptions of broader group dynamics relating to collective threat and differentiation between groups impeded the relationship. The findings attest to the importance of the broader context within which contact occurs. Having contact with outgroup members leads to reduced social distance to the outgroup, however perceived norms and outgroup perceptions play a pivotal role in explaining this relationship.     

Revisiting the contact hypothesis: Effects of different modes of computer-mediated communication on intergroup relationships

This study applies the contact hypothesis to computer-mediated communication (CMC) and examines whether intergroup computer-mediated contact can facilitate relationships between conflicting groups. The effectiveness of different CMC modes, text-based and video-based, in improving interpersonal and intergroup attitudes was compared. The results from an experiment indicated that video-based CMC exerted greater influence in improving participants’ attitudes towards a targeted outgroup member when compared to text-based CMC. However, text-based CMC produced a stronger effect than video-based CMC in improving one’s attitudes towards the outgroup as a whole.     

Explaining negative outgroup attitudes between native Dutch and Muslim youth in The Netherlands using the Integrated Threat Theory

Like in many other western countries the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in The Netherlands is characterized by segregation and negative intergroup attitudes. This study focusses on negative outgroup attitudes among adolescents. We tested whether the Integrated Threat Theory can explain prejudice in native as well as Muslim immigrant youth in The Netherlands. Using a sample of 671 native Dutch and 303 Muslim adolescents we found that Dutch natives scored higher on Negative Outgroup Attitudes, Intergroup Anxiety, Negative Stereotypes, and Negative Experiences, and lower on Contact and Multiculturalism than Muslims. Partial support for the Integrated Threat Theory was found in both samples, and explained variance was higher in the native Dutch sample. Implications include suggestions for interventions aimed at improving relationships.     

Conceptions of national identity and opposition to bicultural policies in New Zealand: A comparison of majority and minority perspectives

Using a nationally representative sample, the present research tested whether conceptions of national identity differentially predicted attitudes toward bicultural policies among New Zealanders of European, Māori, Asian, and Pacific descent. A series of multi-group structural equation models revealed that among members of the majority group and all minority groups, endorsement of a civic conception of national identity (i.e., respecting political institutions and laws) was related to opposition to resource policies, but such a relationship was especially strong among the majority group. By contrast, endorsement of an ethnic conception of national identity (i.e., having Māori or European ancestry) was related to support for resource and symbolic policies among minority group members, but to opposition to the same policies among the majority group. The present work documents that belonging to a majority vs. minority group moderates the relations between conceptions of national identity (civic vs. ethnic) and support or opposition to specific bicultural policies. In addition, some elements of civic conceptions of national identity may legitimize inequalities rather than reduce them.     

Promoting the attitudes of nursing students towards refugees via interventions based on the contact hypothesis: A randomized controlled trial

A randomized controlled study was implemented on 90 nursing students in Turkey. The sample was divided into two groups: intervention and control group. The intervention group received education on refugee health and participated in a practical internship with refugees. Three scales were administered to the two groups at baseline (pre-test) and the end of intervention (post-test): "Xenophobia", "Attitude Towards Refugees" and "Intercultural Sensitivity". The three scale post-test scores of the intervention statistically significantly differed from control group and showed a statistically significant interaction between the groups and time in the two-way analysis of variance. The three scale post-test scores significantly differed from the pre-test scores in the intervention group, showing more relevant effects on xenophobia scale, two subscales of attitude towards refugees and intercultural sensitivity scale. The interventions based on the contact hypothesis improved nursing students' attitudes towards refugees.     

Ethnic outgroup aggression: A pilot study on the importance of emotion regulation,nationalism and susceptibility to persuasion

The current pilot study investigated the psychological mechanisms behind ethnic outgroup aggression, a significant outcome of intergroup conflicts. While previous research suggested several impactful predictors of ethnic outgroup aggression, such as intergroup contact and nationalism, no attempt has been made to synthesize all these constructs into a single cross-cultural study. Building on existing research, this pilot study is the first to assess a refined framework where we tested a proposed mediation model according to nationalism and emotion regulation mediate the relationship between intergroup contact, susceptibility to persuasion, and intergroup anxiety on the one hand and ethnic outgroup aggression on the other hand within a cross-cultural sample. An online questionnaire was distributed using convenience sampling among 2482 students with an ethnic majority background living and studying in ten (European) countries. Multigroup path analysis supported the larger part of the hypothesized model where we found that emotion regulation partially mediated the relationship between susceptibility to persuasion as a predictor and aggression as an outcome. As expected, we found that the higher the susceptibility to persuasion, the higher the emotion regulation, and the higher the regulation, the lower the aggression in all countries. Our pilot study provided preliminary evidence that emotion regulation, nationalism and susceptibility to persuasion are critical for the understanding of ethnic outgroup aggression in ethnically diverse societies. Future research needs to be carried out focusing on the development of an intergroup anxiety assessment in which possible gender differences in assessed constructs are considered.     

Attitudes toward multiculturalism of immigrants and majority members in the Netherlands

The current study examined the perceptions by Dutch natives and four immigrant groups (Surinamers, Antilleans, Turks, and Moroccans) on four topics relevant for the functioning of the Netherlands as a multicultural society: immigrants’ feelings of comfort in living in the Netherlands, their perceived discrimination, their cultural maintenance, and Dutch involvement with them. As predicted, Dutch natives estimated the immigrants’ view more accurately in a contact domain (perceived discrimination) than in a non-contact domain (feelings of comfort) and the attitude differences between Dutch natives and immigrants were smaller in a contact domain (Dutch involvement) than in a non-contact domain (cultural maintenance). The study also examined the relation between ethnic hierarchy (cultural distance), educational level, and experiences of the ethnic groups. Turks and Moroccans (who occupy a lower position in the Dutch ethnic hierarchy and are less schooled) reported less positive feelings and experiences in the Netherlands than Surinamers and Antilleans (who are higher in the ethnic hierarchy and are better schooled).     

Intergroup contact and prejudice toward immigrants: A multinational,multilevel test of the moderating role of individual conservative values and cultural embeddedness

We performed a multilevel, multinational analysis of the 2014 European Social Survey dataset (N = 33,597, nested in 19 countries) to study how individual conservative values and cultural embeddedness moderate the link between contact with immigrants and the attitudes toward them. A combination of frequency and positivity of contact with immigrants showed a negative association with ethnic prejudice while, conversely, participants’ conservative basic values were directly and positively associated with prejudice. National cultural embeddedness was not associated with the dependent variable. Neither individual conservative values nor cultural embeddedness moderated the association between contact and prejudice. Strengths, limitations, implications and future directions of this study are discussed.     

Explaining the relationship between socio-economic status and interethnic friendships: The mediating role of preferences,opportunities, and third parties

Interethnic contact is important for social cohesion and has been shown to vary with people’s socio-economic status (SES). There is some evidence that SES has opposite effects on interethnic contact for non-Western ethnic minorities and for majority members in Western countries. Whereas minority members with a higher SES tend to have more contact with natives, natives with a higher SES tend to have less inter-ethnic contact. To replicate and further understand these contrasting findings, we focused on interethnic friendships in particular and tested simultaneously for majority and minority members whether preferences for cultural similarity, opportunities to meet ethnic others, and disapproval of third parties, mediate the relationship between SES and having interethnic friendships. Analyses of 368 natives and 267 non-Western ethnic minority members in the Netherlands confirmed the contrasting effects of SES on interethnic friendships for these two groups. Importantly, we found that for minority members higher SES was related to more friendships with natives through more meeting opportunities. For natives, higher SES was related to fewer friendships with ethnic minorities, however, this relationship could not be explained by lower meeting opportunities. Preferences for cultural similarity and third-party disapproval did not explain the link between SES and interethnic friendships for any of the two groups.     

The impact of cultural,ethnic, and national variables on attitudes towards the disabled in Israel: A review

Studies in Israel relating to attitudes of various ethnic, cultural and religious groups towards the disabled were reviewed. The results indicate that although there were differences in attitudes towards the disabled, these differences appear to be a function of interaction effects between many other variables and not necessarily only related to ethnic, cultural, and religious affiliation.     

Acculturation, well-being and classroom behaviour among white British and British Asian primary-school children in the south–east of England: Validating a child-friendly measure of acculturation attitudes

Using a sample of white British and British Asian primary-school children (N = 386, aged 5–11 years), we measured acculturation attitudes (own and perceived outgroup), correlated constructs (ingroup and outgroup affect and identification) and relevant outcomes (self-esteem, classroom demeanour) in a structured interview to validate a customised, child-friendly measure of acculturation attitudes based on Berry's framework. Scale items measuring desire for culture maintenance and intergroup contact loaded onto the predicted factors, were internally reliable and showed concurrent validity with affect and identification. The predictive utility of measures was demonstrated in associations between children's acculturation attitudes (or perceived discrepancies with those of the outgroup) and outcomes such as self-esteem and teacher ratings of emotional symptoms.     

The influence of social support on the wellbeing of immigrants residing in Italy: Sources and functions as predictive factors for life satisfaction levels,sense of community and resilience

Moving from one country to another involves not only separation from the country of origin, but also the tiring process of integration into a new physical, institutional, and sociocultural context, which may expose migrants to acculturation stress. The loss of former support networks, or at the very least their transformation, presents immigrants with the need to rebuild their social support systems in the host country, involving an active search for support. Therefore, the aim of study is to analyze the structure of informal social support and its capacity to predict immigrants’ sense of community, resilience, and satisfaction with life. The results confirm that social support predicts satisfaction with life, sense of community, and resilience. Our findings highlight the way sources and frequency of support, and the satisfaction with which they are associated, have different degrees of predictive value on the dependent variables under investigation. In this study, it can be concluded that social support is an important factor in the well-being of migrants and their integration into the host community. The results have an important practical value in promoting interventions that improve immigrants’ support networks and, consequently, increase their satisfaction with life, sense of community, and resilience.