The role of cultural pressures and group favouritism in shaping Syrian refugees’ identity in the Jordanian work environment

This study seeks to understand the cultural inclusion/exclusion practices that Syrian refugees encounter in the Jordanian work environment, explore whether an ingroup (Jordanian) over outgroup (Syrian refugees) favouritism exists and how such favouritism reshapes Syrian refugees’ social identity in this new environment. Drawing on qualitative-semi structured interviews with 12 Syrian refugees in Jordan, the study highlights different multi-layered cultural exclusion/inclusion practices that Syrian refugees in Jordan face. Through a combined underpinning of social identity theory (SIT) (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and the acculturation framework (Arends-Tóth & van de Vijver, 2006), the study reports how these practices re-shape Syrian refugees’ identity around vocational skills. We go beyond the basic types of discrimination against refugees (e.g., gender, race, religion) to highlight economic and legal restrictions as important promoters of cultural exclusion despite the strong cultural cohesion factors. This highlights the significant role of community and societal practices that can go beyond cultural differences between groups, and extend our understanding of SIT.     

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.     

Working with emotion in educational intergroup dialogue

As a form of multicultural education, intergroup dialogue is one method to improve intergroup relations. Furthermore, this form of experiential education inevitably elicits emotional responses to diversity and social justice issues. The theory and research, however, supporting its pedagogy lack a comprehensive framework for working with emotion. Recent empirical and theoretical work on emotion in intergroup interaction gives us some guidance in conceptualizing the centrality and complexity of emotional content and processes in intergroup contact. Additionally, ample evidence exists for the primacy of affect in the regulation of social relationships from the parent–child dyad to intergroup interactions. Most empirical work on affect in intergroup relations primarily focuses on assessing reactions to imagined or actual, one-time laboratory encounters and examines the reactions of only dominant group members. In contrast to experimental work, intergroup dialogue involves complex dynamics within the context of structured, sustained, face-to-face conversation among real people of dominant and subordinate social identity groups. Recommendations to improve intergroup contact include intervention at the level of emotion. Although it does not focus systematically on the affective layer, intergroup dialogues’ philosophy and structure prime the ground to do so. This paper proposes a set of principles to work with emotion in intergroup dialogue that would provide ways (1) to foster overall positive intergroup contact, (2) to work effectively with negative affect and resistance as integral and not subversive to positive intergroup interactions, (3) to attend to the force that ambivalence exerts on intergroup interaction, and (4) to work with facilitators’ affective processes. Implications for research are also discussed.     

Culture's role in conflict and conflict management: Some suggestions, many questions

The contributions to this edition of the Journal are viewed as identifying two roles of culture in intergroup conflict. One is that culture separates people into an in-group and out-group based on the criterion of whether or not they share a common culture. According to social identity theory, this division creates the necessary condition for intergroup (intercultural) conflict. The second role is that culture shapes the individual's perception of conflict and how he or she will respond to the conflict. It is argued that embedded within the history and myths of a culture are stories that identify specific out-groups as likely protagonists. A model for achieving peaceful co-existence between cultural groups is presented. Peaceful co-existence has three components: cognition (acceptance of the right of the out-group to exist), emotion (low fear of the out-group), and behavior (willingness to engage in cooperative interaction with the out-group). It is argued that in order to achieve peaceful co-existence between cultural groups, intergroup contract must promote the security and identity of the ingroup, reduce the perceived threat of the out-group, and promote the perception of diversity within the out-group. The difficulties of achieving positive relations between cultural groups is recognized, and that a focus on intercultural relations should be prevention of hostility rather than reducing violent conflict after it has occurred.     

Valuing diversity in Spain and Canada: The role of multicultural ideology in intergroup attitudes and intentions to reduce inequalities

Multicultural ideology proposes that group memberships should be not just acknowledged but also valued in order to accommodate diversity and attain equality. In three studies conducted in Spain and Canada we analyzed, using different measures, the relationship between multicultural ideology on the one hand and prejudice, support for social policies, and motivation for social change on the other hand. In Spain we focused on responses to Gitanos (Spanish Roma) and, in Canada, on First Nations people. Results showed that multicultural ideology was related in both cases to lower prejudice and higher support for social policies to support the minority group and motivation for social change. The internal motivation to control prejudice was an important mediator of this relationship in both countries. In contrast, the way in which social identities are represented played a different role as a function of country: whereas a dual identity representation played a mediating role in Canada, a common identity representation was the mediator in Spain. These results support the importance of valuing cultural diversity to harmonize intergroup relations and to reduce inequalities between majorities and minority groups.     

A potential pitfall of integration: The case for identity conflict to facilitate social change

Building on intersectional awareness literature, this paper examines how another individual difference regarding one’s perception of identity intersections — bicultural identity conflict (BII-C)— predicts immigrants’ interpretations of their social environment and general orientation to take action to support immigrants from one’s heritage group (GOA-I). While previous research has shown that BII-C, or perceived conflict (vs. harmony) between multiple cultural identities, is related to negative intergroup outcomes, we extend this research to examine how BII-C relates to social change actions that promote a more equitable society. An experimental study with 165 first- and second-generation immigrants living in the United States found support for a moderated mediation model. BII-C moderated the relationship between discrimination and the degree to which participants attributed discrimination to societal factors. These attributions were associated with GOA-I. Future research should consider additional individual differences, beyond intersectional awareness and BII-C, to see how these orientations may also act as a lens through which people interpret their social environment and are willing to take action to change it.     

Out-group value incongruence and intergroup attitude: The roles of common identity and multiculturalism

This research was designed to examine the moderation roles of common social identity and multiculturalism on the established relationship between Mainland Chinese's perceived value incongruence with Hong Kong Chinese and their negative attitude towards Hong Kong Chinese. A survey study was conducted among 202 college students in Mainland China and the results showed Mainland Chinese's value incongruence with Hong Kong Chinese significantly predicted their negative intergroup attitude. In addition, the results also revealed that among participants with high identification with the super-ordinate Chinese national group, this negative relation was significantly weaker than those with low Chinese identification. In addition, among participants with high multiculturalism endorsement, the relation between value incongruence and intergroup attitude was significantly weaker than those with low level of multiculturalism. Implications of this research and future directions were discussed based on these findings.     

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.     

Constructions of Japanese national identity: Host views using a social markers of acceptance framework

Social markers of acceptance (SMA) are socially constructed criteria (e.g., language skills, shared genealogy, or adherence to social norms) that receiving society nationals use in deciding whether to view an immigrant as a member of the national ingroup. This study had two objectives: 1. to identify the markers considered important by Japanese to accept immigrants in Japanese society, and 2. to examine the type of intergroup conditions that may shape immigrant inclusion by influencing the degree of emphasis placed on SMA: specifically, perceived immigrant threat, contribution, and social status, as well as intergroup boundary permeability and strength of national identification. Native-born Japanese (n = 2000) completed an online survey, where two latent factors emerged representing ethnic and civic markers—suggesting that national identity may have changed in the past 25 years, with Japanese developing a distinct civic conceptualization in addition to a previously existing ethnic one. Multiple hierarchical regressions found significant main effects of perceived immigrant threat, contribution, status, and boundary permeability for both civic and ethnic dimensions, as well as interactions between threat x status and threat x permeability. As hypothesized, threat had positive effects on SMA emphasis, and contribution exerted negative effects—indicating more exclusive and inclusive attitudes among Japanese, respectively. Results for national identity were inconsistent, complementing social identity theory for ethnic markers but contradicting it for civic marker importance. Consistent with social identity theory, immigrants perceived as “low status” triggered endorsement of more restrictive civic and ethnic benchmarks; however, contrary to expectations, increased threat under less porous intergroup boundaries predicted more restrictive civic and ethnic marker utilization.     

Patterns of intergroup attitudes in South Africa after 1994

In the heterogeneous South African society, race has become not only the major organizing principle, but also the primary unit of social analysis. The concept “intergroup relations” has consequently predominantly been associated with racial relations and “intergroup attitudes” with “interracial attitudes”. Interest in South African race relations has furthermore been enhanced by the tumultuous struggle against apartheid. A substantive body of research acquired during apartheid indeed points to interracial tension. The advent of a new political dispensation in 1994 has been accompanied with expectations that increased intergroup contact, in particular, would result in improved interracial relations. The current study investigates intergroup attitudes after 1994. Three countrywide surveys were conducted in 1998, 2001 and 2009 using representative samples of all major racial groups. The results indicate that overall attitudes were more positive among more affluent and urbanized communities. However, there are indications of prevailing negative relations, in particular between Blacks and Afrikaans-speaking Whites. While the attitudes of Afrikaans-speaking Whites seem to have become more positive, that has not been the case to the same extent for Blacks. Blacks also appear to be less positive towards English-speaking Whites than during apartheid. Overall, the results point to more positive intergroup attitudes in some instances, but also to potential emerging points of tension.     

Impact of cross-cultural training on black and white mental health professionals

In a 3-year period, 174 mental health professionals received intensive 8-day cross-cultural/interracial communication workshops involving didactic, transactional, experiential, and cultural immersion techniques. Comprehensive evaluation strategies investigated changes in social distance, attitudes, and values comprehension, as well as improvement in therapeutic performance. Comparison of 68 white and 54 black clinical practitioners indicated significant differences in impact, with the former more oriented toward cognitive and attitudinal change, and the latter toward insight into personal identity and role conflict. Among white trainees, increased values comprehension, increased agreement with preferential treatment for minorities, and decreased social distance to tri-ethnic (black, Hispanic, white) stimulus figures at three socioeconomic status (SES) levels, were associated with improved therapeutic skills with a poor black client. Among black trainees, self-distancing responses to social, attitudinal, and values items which implied both acknowledgment and rejection of “black professional” identity, were associated with highly significant improvement in therapeutic performance with a poor black client. In addition to demonstrated efficacy in building knowledge and skill, cross-cultural training appears to be a consciousness-raising process for minority professionals conflicted about culture-abandonment and irrelevancies in clinical training.     

Intergroup Emotions toward Asian Americans as Mediators in the Relationships of Intergroup Stereotypes and Ingroup Identity with Intergroup Behaviors

The purpose of this study is to examine if intergroup emotions toward Asian Americans mediate the effects of intergroup stereotypes and ingroup identity on intergroup behaviors. Results indicate that admiration, hostility, and fear toward Asians mediate the effects of perceived warmth and competence and ingroup identity on approach and avoidance responses. Results also indicate admiration has a positive association with perceived warmth and competence of Asians, but a negative association with ingroup identity. Hostility has a negative relationship with perceived warmth of Asians, but a positive relationship with perceived competence and ingroup identity. Admiration and hostility appear to have opposite relationships with intergroup approach and avoidance.     

Intergroup acceptance and perception of Israeli and Russian immigrant students

The study assessed intergroup acceptance and perception of native Israeli and Russian immigrant students. Fifth- (n = 1,438) and eighth- (n = 851) grade Israeli and Russian students from integrated classes completed a battery of questionnaires, including social acceptance, self-esteem, and an intergroup perception scale which assessed the traits ascribed to the typical Israeli and the typical Russian. A symmetrical pattern of intergroup relations was obtained with each group reporting a higher social acceptance for ingroup-than for outgroup members. In addition, higher self-esteem Israelis revealed a greater outgroup acceptance, whereas higher self-esteem Russians revealed a greater ingroup acceptance. Pertaining to intergroup perception, students of both origins ascribed higher sociability to the typical Israeli than to the typical Russian and better manners to the typical Russian than to the typical Israeli. Members of each group attributed higher scholastic ability to the typical figure of their ingroup vs. their outgroup. Present findings were compared with research addressing immigrants from Middle-Eastern and Western origins. These were discussed in the framework of Taylor and McKirnan's (1984) five-stage model of intergroup relations.     

Linguistic intergroup bias tells ingroup/outgroup orientation of bicultural Asian Americans

Traditional studies of ethnic relations focus on racialization between Whites and Blacks, or ethnic stratification between Whites and people of color. This study aims at broadening conventional studies of interethnic relations to examine racial attitudes among people who have internalized more than one culture – i.e., the biculturals and multiculturals. Social psychological research suggests that bicultural individuals are capable of switching between two cultural meaning frames depending on contextual demands. Bicultural individuals vary in how well they integrate the two cultural identities internalized in them – i.e., their bicultural identity integration levels (BII levels). Their BII levels lead to either culturally congruent or culturally incongruent behaviors among bicultural individuals. The underlying assumption of linguistic intergroup bias indicates that people tend to describe more abstractly observed positive ingroup behaviors and negative outgroup behaviors and describe more concretely observed negative ingroup behaviors and positive outgroup behaviors. In this study, bicultural Asian American participants are hypothesized to use language of either higher or lower abstraction to describe actions of positive and negative valence performed by either ethnic Asians or European Americans depending on the cultural priming they received and their BII levels. The demonstrated pattern of ingroup enhancement and outgroup derogation of the bicultural participants point out the perceived ingroup/outgroup orientation of these biculturals towards their coethnics and people of the mainstream culture. Effects of the cultural priming and impact of BII levels are also discussed.     

A critical review of multiculturalism and interculturalism as integration frameworks: The case of Canada

Pluralist societies face challenges developing diversity-related policies to integrate newcomers and facilitate harmonious relationships between ethnocultural minorities and majorities. The integration policies that governments implement have significant implications for intergroup relations in diverse societies. The current paper (i) discusses the characteristics of two integration policies, multiculturalism and interculturalism; (ii) examines how these integration policies have been studied within the psychological literature; and (iii) explores the policy implications of these concepts for intergroup relations research and psychosocial adaptation of immigrants. In addressing the above points, we have paid specific attention to multiculturalism in Canada and interculturalism in Europe and in Quebec, the French speaking region of Canada, which highlight the developing role pluralist integration strategies are playing in the social and policy debates surrounding integration, inclusion, and social cohesion.     

Identity and intergroup perception in Israel

Several studies done in Israel during the past 10 to 15 years on identity and intergroup perception are reviewed with a view towards relating these two areas of research. Problems of methodology are discussed. The methodology of concept differentiation supplemented the more common questionnaire approach. The groups that served as objects of scrutiny were religiously observant, traditionalist, and nonobservant Jews: members of the Oriental and European Jewish communities; Christian and Moslem Arabs; and Arabs and Jews in Israel, in general. The dimensions of evaluation, symmetry, and differentiation were applied to seemingly heterogeneous content and yielded three hypotheses: (1) group membership is positively related to evaluation; (2) status differential between groups is inversely related to symmetry of evaluations; and (3) identity/ intergroup perception evolves through stages of differentiation, ambivalence, and integration. The hypotheses fit the data, especially when changes in self and mutual evaluations are taken into account.     

Majority group perceptions of minority acculturation preferences: The role of perceived threat

Recently, there has been growing focus on the intergroup influences of acculturation preferences, and in particular majority members’ perceptions of how minority members want to acculturate. This paper contributes to this emergent literature by examining the extent to which majority members in the UK perceive that minority members’ preferences for heritage culture maintenance and majority culture adoption are conflicting, and whether this is moderated by perceived threat. One hundred and sixty-three participants who self-reported being white British completed an online survey. Participants were asked about their perceptions of minority acculturation preferences for two target groups living in the UK: Pakistani and German minority groups. Overall, perceived culture maintenance and perceived culture adoption were weakly negatively associated for both groups. Moreover, results confirmed the pre-registered hypotheses, but only for the Pakistani target group. At higher levels of perceived threat, perceived culture maintenance was related to less perceived culture adoption. However, when threat was low, there was no association between perceived heritage culture maintenance and perceived culture adoption. For the German target group, threat did not moderate the relationship between perceived culture maintenance and perceived culture adoption. Findings suggest that depending on levels of perceived threat and the minority group in question, majority members perceiving that minority members maintain their heritage culture has different consequences. Results are discussed in relation to implications for integration, intergroup relations in culturally plural societies, and the need to focus on specific minority groups when studying acculturation processes.     

Preference for dating out-group members: Not the same for all out-groups and cultural backgrounds

The goal of the present study was to examine dating preferences across three different out-group backgrounds (race/culture/ethnic, religious, socio-economic status) in three different cultural settings (the United Kingdom, the United States, India). A second goal was to explore the role of social psychological factors (social approval, social identity, previous dating experience) in out-group dating preferences. Findings from an online study (n_UK = 227, n_US = 245, n_India = 220) revealed that participants were less willing to date individuals from religious out-groups than individuals from other race/culture/ethnic or socio-economic status out-groups. Individuals’ perceptions of approval from friends and family positively predicted out-group dating preference for all backgrounds and samples. How much individuals identified with their in-groups and whether they have previous experience dating someone from an out-group varied across outgroup backgrounds and samples in predicting out-group dating preferences. Together, the findings provide valuable insight into intergroup relations and reveal the importance of studying out-group dating preferences across different out-group backgrounds and samples.     

Chinese university students’ mediated contact and global competence: Moderation of direct contact and mediation of intergroup anxiety

In recent years, popularity of social media and influx of international students have provided Chinese domestic students ample opportunities to contact with alien cultures both directly and indirectly. To understand impact of the new environment, the present study focused on Chinese domestic undergraduates and proposed a moderated mediation research model examining the relationships between mediated contact (through foreign TV series and movies) and the three dimensions of global competence (global attitudes, skills, and knowledge). We also explored mediation of intergroup anxiety and moderation of direct contact (with international students) underlying these relationships. Results from a multi-group structural equation modeling analysis revealed direct contact as a moderator, modifying the relationship between mediated contact and intergroup anxiety. Specifically, this negative relationship was significant at low, rather than at high levels of direct contact. Further, at low, rather than at high levels of direct contact, mediated contact had indirect relationships with all three dimensions of global competence via the mediator of intergroup anxiety.     

What does it take to become “one of us?” Redefining ethnic-civic citizenship using markers of everyday nationhood

In this study we examined what are the markers of immigrant naturalisation as seen from the perspectives of recipient nationals. Social markers are perceptual signposts that receiving nationals use in deciding whether a non-native born is a member of the destination country. In short, what should immigrants do in order to be accepted by receiving nationals as “one of us”. Cross national data on 20 indicators of “everyday nationhood” were collected from five countries – Singapore, Japan, Australia, Finland, and Canada. The markers highlight common dispositions, activities, or social norms that are associated with citizenship. Exploratory factor analysis in each sample consistently demonstrated a two-factor structure model that supports the contemporary ethnic-civic distinction, but the markers that make up each of the two dimensions vary between countries. No metric equivalence was found, and that the markers have culture-specific meanings. The framework offers a novel insight to intercultural relations. The results suggest that adaptation and social inclusion need to consider the norms and values practised in the recipient society, and how immigration may redefine intergroup boundaries.