Changing children's intergroup attitudes toward refugees: testing different models of extended contact

The present research evaluated an intervention, derived from the "extended contact hypothesis," which aimed to change children's intergroup attitudes toward refugees. The study (n=253) tested 3 models of extended contact among 5- to 11-year-old children: dual identity, common ingroup identity, and decategorization. Children read friendship stories based upon these models featuring in- and outgroup members. Outgroup attitudes were significantly more positive in the extended contact conditions, compared with the control, and this was mediated by "inclusion of other in self." The dual identity intervention was the most effective extended contact model at improving outgroup attitudes. The effect of condition on outgroup intended behavior was moderated by subgroup identity. Implications for theoretically based prejudice-reduction interventions among children are discussed.     

Ethnic and gender differences in mathematics achievement and in dispositions towards the study of mathematics

The study examined the effects of gender and ethnicity on mathematics achievement on a national test and on dispositions (attitudes, perceived parental expectations, effort, and help) towards the study of mathematics of a representative sample of Jewish and Arab eighth graders in Israel. The results indicated a large ethnic gap in achievement in favor of the Jewish students. Significant gender–ethnicity interactions emerged whereby Arab girls, compared to Arab boys, attempted more items on the test. In the Jewish sample, either the reverse held true or there were no significant differences between the sexes. Arab girls also reported receiving less help in doing mathematics homework and perceived their parents' expectations for their success in mathematics as higher than did Arab boys. Jewish girls, on the other hand, perceived their parents' expectations as lower and reported investigating more effort in coping with mathematics tasks and using more supporting tools than did Jewish boys. The results were discussed in light of cultural differences between Jews and Arabs in Israeli society and their respective learning environments.     

Education for national identity: Arab schools principals and teachers dilemmas and coping strategies

Abstract

This article discusses strategies used by Arab principals and teachers in Israel to cope with dilemmas involved in education for national identity stemming from conflict between two national narratives. While the Israeli Ministry of Education expects the Arab education system to educate students according to the Jewish State’s values, Palestinian Arab society expects its schools to educate its children according to Palestinian Arab national-cultural values. A qualitative research employed a semi-structured interview to elicit views on this issue from 7 principals and 14 teachers in the Arab education system in Israel. The findings indicate a conflictual reality. Interviewees expressed fear, humiliation and affront when required to obey Ministry of Education instructions in contradiction to attitudes prevalent in their society. They therefore developed coping strategies to foster students’ national identity without disrupting the necessary balance; primarily the construction of a covert learning program through manipulations in the official overt learning program. This study contributes to our understanding of minority education in a reality of conflict between the state and its national minority.     

Intercultural learning in graduate studies at an Israeli college of education: Attitudes toward multiculturalism among Jewish and Arab students

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the factors which affect attitudes towards multiculturalism among Jewish and Arab graduate students who experience intercultural learning in an Israeli-Jewish academic college of education. In Israeli society, it is in higher education institutions where young people from different ethnic groups first encounter the ‘others’. This is due to the structure of the Israeli elementary and secondary education system, which is divided into Jewish and Arab segregated sub-systems. In contrast, the country’s higher education institutions are open to everyone. The research population was composed of first and second year graduate students, all of whom were practicing teachers or involved in other educational work. Participants completed questionnaires and a smaller sample was also interviewed. All of the students are practicing teachers or involved in other educational work. Everyone perceived the college’s socio-cultural climate as an open and multicultural one in both years of study. However, these positive feelings characterized Jewish students to a larger extent than Arab students, while the socio-cultural aspect as well as the quality of the academic experience had a positive impact on multicultural attitudes primarily among Arab students. Thus, a multicultural climate is not enough to effect a positive change in entrenched attitudes toward multiculturalism. Multicultural education policy should also be reinforced through a formal academic curriculum, so as to set an example for ongoing social change which will further encourage graduate students—majority and minority alike—to implement their multicultural positive experiences in their own schools in the future.     

Justice,belonging and trust among Israeli middle school students

Contending that justice experiences at school transmit messages about the wider society and affects students' attitudes and behaviour, we investigated the effects of students' sense of distributive and (school) procedural justice on their sense of belonging to school and on their social and institutional trust. The study was carried out among about 5000 eighth and ninth graders in a national sample of 48 middle schools in Israel in the 2010–2011 school year. The two‐level data—individual and school—were analyzed by HLM7 (Hierarchical Linear Model). Findings basically support our hypotheses: sense of distributive justice, especially, with regard to teachers'–students' relation positively affected students' sense of belonging and their trust in people and formal institutions; and school (aggregate) sense of procedural justice added to these positive effects. However, these attitudes were also dependent on sectorial affiliation (Jewish secular, Jewish religious, Arab), which explained a considerable portion of between‐school variation in student attitudes.     

‘Digital natives’: Honour and respect in computerized encounters between Israeli Jewish and Arab children and adult learners

In Israel's Multigenerational Connection Program (MCP), children instruct adults in computer and Internet use. Taking children's advantage in digital literacy as a given, the study examines their generational status in computerized encounters that MCP creates in two schools, one Jewish and one Arab. The data were gathered by means of qualitative participant observation. The results suggest that the family–community‐based habitus is reflected in the interpretation of the program by the computer teacher at each school, who, by ‘importing’ it to MCP, encouraged relations of respect or honour between children and adults. The significance of these relations, rooted in ethno‐national relations between the groups, transcends the global discourse about the uniformity of the generational digital divide. While the Arab group's ambivalence toward MCP weakened the children's status, the Jewish children attained empowerment as young teachers. The conclusions focus on the implications for intergenerational relations and children's self‐image of the preservation of the Arab honour‐contingent habitus in a Western educational context—a self‐chosen strategy that may widen the digital divide between Arab and Jewish children.     

Social identity and the development of children's group attitudes

This study assessed predictions drawn from social identity theory (SIT; Tajfel & Turner) concerning the acquisition of young children's intra- and intergroup attitudes and cognitions. In a minimal group study, 5- and 8-year-old children (N = 258) were arbitrarily assigned to teams that varied in their drawing ability (social status). In addition, the study varied the extent to which the children believed they could change teams (social mobility) and whether the team had additional positive qualities beyond their drawing skill (social change). The children subsequently rated their liking for, and similarity to, the ingroup and the outgroup and the extent to which they wished to change groups. Consistent with SIT and research with adults, the results indicated that children as young as 5 years of age were sensitive to the status of their social group, and that ingroup status has important implications for both their desire to remain group members as well as their perceived similarity to other group members. The extent to which the findings provide support for SIT and the intergroup similarities between adults and children are discussed.     

Evaluation of the Meaning of Life Program in Israel

During the 2009–2010 academic year, 10 schools participated in the Meaning of Life educational program, an adaption of the popular U.S. Laws of Life program. The program sought to encourage each participant to develop a personal approach to finding meaning in life. To evaluate the success of the program, we conducted a study to compare measures of psychological health among participants in the program. We administered questionnaires to participants pre- and postintervention that dealt with the following topics: Meaning in Life, Perceived Hope, Self-Efficacy, Virtues and Values Enacted, and School Climate. We conducted an analysis on a sample of 256 Jewish children (91 boys, 165 girls) and 396 Arab children (155 boys, 241 girls) in 8 schools. Results yielded convergent and construct validity among the 5 measures. Differential results were found among the different schools in both Jewish and Arab samples. From this data we discuss implications for future research.     

回族、汉族高中生的民族认同和国家认同对自尊的影响

选取甘肃南部某县城一所高中学生123名,探讨回、汉高中生的民族认同、国家认同与自尊的关系,被试完成了民族认同、国家认同和自尊等测量。采用均值比较、方差分析、回归分析等方法进行数据分析,结果表明：回、汉族高中生在民族认同和国家认同总体上没有显著差异,但是在民族探索方面,回族高中生得分较高,并存在显著差异;回、汉族高中生的民族认同、国家认同和自尊存在显著的正相关;民族认同和国家认同能够预测自尊的水平,并且国家认同的预测力更强。     

Educating Jewish and Arab children for tolerance and coexistence in a situation of ongoing conflict: an encounter program

The ‘Children Teach Children’ (CTC) program aimed to educate Jewish and Arab children in Israel for tolerance and coexistence is first described against the general background of coexistence programs in Israel and in other countries. Results of a study that examined the influence of the program implementation in Grade 7 in a pair of neighboring schools (a Jewish school and an Arab school) indicate differences between perceptions of students and of program coordinator–teachers regarding the achievements of the program's first year. Students' responses pointed at no change in the area of awareness to identity, a positive change in interpersonal relationships yet a worsening of stereotypes, although both Jewish and Arab students expressed the will to continue with the program and with the same class. Teachers revealed a higher degree of satisfaction and emphasized the gains of the program, mainly regarding the improvement of communication skills, disclosure of feelings, acceptance of different opinions, and the creation of an empowering group climate as a platform for the continuation of the program.     

“Us and them”: towards intercultural competence among Jewish and Arab graduate students at Israeli colleges of education

The present study aims to examine the impact of encounter between two different ethnic groups, Jews and Arabs, of Israeli first-year graduate students who study in four colleges of education, on the development of their intercultural competence: (1) knowledge regarding the “other,” (2) change in attitudes and behavior towards the other, and (3) multicultural educational practice. The findings point to two clear factors affecting the development of intercultural competence: the formal and informal college experience as reported by respondents, particularly the contents and tools that both Jews and Arabs acquired at the college in addition to personal characteristics and off-campus encounters. The second factor is the difference between the experiences of Jewish and Arab students: while Arab students are more knowledgeable regarding the Jewish culture and are more willing to change attitudes and educational practices in light of multiculturalism, Jewish students are less prone to make such changes. Thus, according to our findings, intercultural encounters among educators during their graduate studies could create a unique opportunity to turn the college experience transformational in terms of intercultural competence, particularly in the segregated structure of Israeli society.     

Identity Processes among Racial and Ethnic Minority Children in America

A synthesis of the literature related to identity processes among American ethnic and racial minority children and adolescents is presented. In general, ethnic and racial identification, preferences, and attitudes have been studied among younger children, while the constructs of ego identity and ethnic identity have been generally studied among adolescents. The literature is unequally distributed across ethnic groups, with more research on African Americans and American Indians, and on Hispanics and Asians. Methodological concerns, such as problems of nonequivalence across groups, are identified in the conduct of research on ethnic and racial minorities. The synthesis concludes with an identification of intervention efforts along with an articulation of conceptual issues salient for promoting and theorizing about identity development processes among ethnic and racial minority children and adolescents.     

儿童民族认同的形成与发展

民族认同是儿童自我概念发展的重要内容,尤其对少数民族更为重要。国外研究发现,儿童在5岁后就能产生民族分类意识,并产生内群偏爱,在10岁会出现民族内隐态度和外显态度的分离现象;民族认同与民族刻板印象、偏见和歧视有重要联系;影响民族认同发展的因素有儿童认知发展水平、父母与同伴的种族（族群）态度、家庭社会化、群际接触等。国内研究者应该开展本土化的研究,发现我国儿童民族认同形成与发展的规律,对于促进族际互动、构建和谐的民族关系具有重要的理论和现实意义。     

Social and cognitive factors influencing the reading comprehension of Arab students learning Hebrew as a second language in Israel

This study investigated the relationship of the attitudes and cultural background of Arab students in Israel to their reading comprehension of stories from Jewish and Arab culture. Participants were 74 eighth-grade Arab students (age 14–15 years) from Israel, learning Hebrew as a second language (L2). An attitude questionnaire, stories from Arab and Jewish culture and multiple-choice questions about each story were used. Results indicated that students scored higher on tasks of reading comprehension with texts from their own cultural setting than with texts from a culturally unfamiliar setting. Furthermore, results of the attitude questionnaire showed that motivation of Arab students to learning Hebrew was primarily instrumental rather than integrative. A conclusion of this study is that problematic social contexts negatively affect L2 learning of minority students. In order to facilitate Hebrew L2 learning, L2 curricula should include Hebrew language texts with content culturally familiar and relevant to the life of Arab learners.     

Cross-Informant Evaluations of Preschoolers’ Adjustment in Different Cultures

An accurate and agreed upon evaluation of preschoolers' behavior is crucial for young children's positive development. This study explores possible cultural differences in cross-informants’ evaluations. The premise is that informants who are from different cultures tend to give different evaluations of preschoolers’ adjustment and/or that the disparity size between informants differs across different cultures. Data on children’s kindergarten adjustment, early development and current behavior at home were collected among 135 Arab and Jewish Israeli preschoolers, as evaluated by their kindergarten teachers, parents, and independent observers who conducted home visits. The study findings indicate that, generally speaking, Arab children received more positive evaluations than Jewish children, with no significant gender or interaction effect. Nevertheless, that culture effect was non-significant when the teachers evaluated the children’s problem behavior. Thus, the current study results support the notion that profound bias may exist in adults’ evaluations of preschoolers.     

The Effect of a Community Project on Sense of Community among Social Work Students: An Exploratory Evaluative Study

This article evaluates the effect of a community project that was adopted by the students of a school of social work in Israel. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was used. The pretest was administered during the planning stage of the project and the posttest a year later, during the implementation period. The findings show a significant positive effect of the project on sense of community among the students. This effect was moderated by students’ ethnic affiliation (Arab or Jewish) and professional commitment. The implications for using community projects to develop a sense of community in schools of social work are discussed.     

对当前我国城市少数民族流动人口问题的思考

城市少数民族流动人口问题是一个综合性的社会问题,它已经成为我国城市化进程中必须认真研究的重大课题。城市要强调民族多元文化存在的不可避免性,采取多种形式构建不同民族、不同文化互相沟通的平台;要落实国家民族平等政策,使少数民族流动人口融入城市社区化管理;要解决少数民族流动人口在城市生活中的难题,保障其合法权益;要培育各民族对祖国的认同感和凝聚力,以达到各民族之间互相包容、和谐共处、共同发展之目的。     

云南丽江玉湖村纳西族群的母语认同与民族认同研究

语言是民族的核心要素,语言认同是民族认同的重要基础。对丽江玉湖村纳西族语言使用情况调查发现,目前丽江玉湖村纳西族族群成员母语水平较好,母语使用频率高,族群认可度较高,族群成员存在共同的文化心理,这些因素在影响着他们对母语的认同。研究表明:民族语言使用的本质是民族身份认同,民族语言使用的前提是母语认同;语言态度是影响民族认同的重要因素,语言水平是影响民族认同的间接因素。     

Indian = Hindu? The Development of Nationalist Attitudes Among Hindu and Muslim Children in India

Many political movements across the world today define citizenship in exclusionary ethnic or religious terms. This study extends research on ethnic–national associations in adults to children, adding to the relatively sparse literature on the development of national associations in children and in nonwestern contexts. Explicit and implicit religious–national associations were examined in a sample of 160 nine- to sixteen-year-olds (79 Hindu; 81 Muslim) in Gujarat, India. Results suggest that while Hindu children show a strong Indian = Hindu association by age 9, Muslim children appear to be buffered from this association. Furthermore, this association uniquely predicts variance in children’s attitudes about social policy and their concept of nationality, above and beyond their age, religion, and intergroup attitudes.     

Multiple identities and religious transmission: a study among moroccan-dutch muslim adolescents and their parents

This study investigates the relation between religious group identification and ethnic and national identity among Moroccan‐Dutch Muslim adolescents (11–18 years) and their parents (n = 369). Compared to their parents, adolescents showed higher national identification and lower religious and ethnic group identification. However, for adolescents and their parents, there were similar positive relations between Muslim and ethnic identifications, and both identifications were negatively related to Dutch identification. For early adolescents, parent’s religious group identification was strongly related to their religious identification and ethnic and national identifications. These associations were not significant for middle adolescents. It is concluded that research on children from immigrant Muslim families should not only focus on ethnicity but on religious identity in particular.