The impact of inter-ethnic discordance on subjective vitality perceptions

Abstract

Subjective ethno-linguistic vitality expresses a group's perception of its own ability to act as a distinctive collective entity in intergroup encounters. Although subjective vitality questionnaires have proved to be reliable instruments of measurement, there has been criticism that they underestimate actual vitality (see Yagmur, this issue). A possible reason for this might be that there are other factors present that can potentially affect vitality. For example, high perceived inter-ethnic discordance may enhance group vitality by reducing the permeability of group boundaries and strengthening emotional attachment to the in-group due to identity threat. In our paper, we hypothesise that the higher the perceived discordance, the higher the subjective vitality perceptions. To measure inter-ethnic discordance, a questionnaire was developed consisting of two interrelated factors: legitimacy of intergroup situation and perceived intergroup attitudes. A large-scale survey (N=460) of representatives of the Russian-speaking community in Estonia was conducted, focusing on both the discordance and subjective vitality phenomena. Contrary to the predictions, there was a negative correlation between the discordance factor and subjective vitality perception. The implications of this finding for the notion of subjective vitality are discussed.