Out-group Orientation Research Articles

Acculturation Among Three Racial/Ethnic Groups of Host and Immigrant Adolescents

This study compares Latino host, Latino immigrant, Asian-American host, Asian-American immigrant and European-American host groups of adolescents with respect to four acculturation-related variables: ethnic identity exploration, ethnic identity affirmation/belonging, outgroup orientation, and American identity. Using the five ethno-generational categories as a grouping variable, we conducted analyses of 313 survey responses to the acculturation items at two time periods, 9 weeks apart. Results showed that differences among the three host racial/ethnic groups can best be explained by a group dominance perspective, whereby the two racial/ethnic minority groups are more similar to each other than they are to the European-American group. Furthermore, the relationship between American identity and ethnic identity components is stronger among the three host groups, as compared to the immigrant groups. Implications for future research with adolescent members of the host group whose heritage culture is non-European are drawn.

Ethnic Identity, Intergroup Contact, and Outgroup Orientation among Diverse Groups of Adolescents on the Internet

The relationship among adolescents' (N = 228) ethnic identity, outgroup orientation, and online intergroup experiences was examined across three groups: European Americans, ethnic minorities (i.e., Latino and African Americans), and multiracials. Similar to previous studies, ethnic minorities reported significantly higher ethnic identity than European Americans and multiracials. Although outgroup orientation did not differ among ethnic groups, European Americans reported that they had more online intergroup contact than the other ethnic groups; greater intergroup contact was also related to higher outgroup orientation for this group. These results show that ethnic identity remains stronger for ethnic minorities, but intergroup interaction has become a salient and influential aspect of the online experience for European Americans. Implications are drawn for understanding and improving online and offline intergroup relations.

The Effects of Living in Segregated vs. Mixed Areas in Northern Ireland: A Simultaneous Analysis of Contact and Threat Effects in the Context of Micro-Level Neighbourhoods

This study examines the consequences of living in segregated and mixed neighbourhoods on ingroup bias and offensive action tendencies, taking into consideration the role of intergroup experiences and perceived threat. Using adult data from a cross-sectional survey in Belfast, Northern Ireland, we tested a model that examined the relationship between living in segregated (N = 396) and mixed (N = 562) neighbourhoods and positive contact, exposure to violence, perceived threat and outgroup orientations. Our results show that living in mixed neighbourhoods was associated with lower ingroup bias and reduced offensive action tendencies. These effects were partially mediated by positive contact. However, our analysis also shows that respondents living in mixed neighbourhoods report higher exposure to political violence and higher perceived threat to physical safety. These findings demonstrate the importance of examining both social experience and threat perceptions when testing the relationship between social environment and prejudice.

Implications of adolescents' acculturation strategies for personal and collective self-esteem.

Berry, Trimble, and Olmedo's (1986) acculturation model was used to investigate the relationship among adolescents' acculturation strategies, personal self-esteem, and collective self-esteem. Using data from 427 high school students, factor analysis results distinguished Collective Self-esteem Scale constructs (Luhtanen & Crocker, 1992) from both ethnic identity and outgroup orientation subscales of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Phinney, 1992). Subsequent results showed that: 1) both acculturation dimensions were correlated with personal and collective self-esteems, 2) integrationists shared similar levels of personal and collective self-esteems with assimilationists and/or separationists, and 3) marginalizationists generally had the lowest levels of personal and collective self-esteems. Implications are drawn for understanding acculturation among adolescents and for the utility of group-level measures of self-esteem.

Relative Importance of Contact Conditions in Explaining Prejudice Reduction in a Classroom Context: Separate and Equal?

Research on contact theory has typically presented four major situational conditions of intergroup contact as separate and equally important in creating an environment that leads to lower levels of racial/ethnic prejudice. We empirically test this “separate and equal” assumption with a variety of student samples and outcome variables. Using data from three cohorts of high school students, as well as one middle school sample, we demonstrate that acquaintance potential and interdependence are the most consistent and robust predictors of prejudice reduction, outgroup orientation, and perceptions of a common ingroup identity. Findings concerning differences in the relative importance of these situational conditions for different racial/ethnic groups are also reported. Implications for implementing optimal contact conditions for prejudice reduction among various ethnic groups are drawn.

Understanding the Relationship Between Egalitarianism and Affective Bias: Avenues to Reducing Prejudice Among Adolescents

In an era during which affirmative action in education is in jeopardy, it is important to understand how the ideologies of high‐status ethnic group members maintain (or reduce) social inequality. We examine the extent to which the relationship between egalitarianism and prejudice among European American and Asian American adolescents can be explained by outgroup orientation (i.e., how much one values interacting with members of other ethnic groups) and strength of identification with one's ethnic group. Using structural equation modeling, we tested whether these two variables mediate the relationship between egalitarianism and intergroup prejudice. Results revealed that outgroup orientation was a mediator, but ethnic identity was not. Implications for mutual acculturation theory, prejudice‐reduction programs, and affirmative action in education are discussed.

Mutual Acculturation and Social Categorization: A Comparison of Two Perspectives on Intergroup Bias

Using Berry, Trimble, and Olmedo's (1986) theorizing as a foundation, the present article applies acculturation constructs to the domain of intergroup bias and compares them to social categorization variables. The paper comprises three school-based studies that test the predictive and mediating roles of acculturation and social categorization, respectively. Results of Studies 1 and 2 with ethnically diverse classes of ninth graders support the hypothesis that outgroup orientation, a dimension of acculturation, mediates the interracial classroom climate-intergroup bias relationship, and independently boosts the prediction of bias. Although social categorization variables do not mediate this relationship reliably, as a group they predict bias. Study 3 replicates these findings in a different context with a largely European American class of seventh grade students.

What's Changed?

The authors outline cross-sectional studies (across time and age) of the effects of the political changes in South Africa on the intergroup orientations of adolescents, as well as their orientations to the new democracy. The study was undertaken between 1992 (before the end of apartheid) and 1996 (after apartheid), with 14-year-old and 17-year-old high school students from formerly designated Black, Coloured, White and Indian population groups. Participants completed Duckitt's Subtle Racism Anti-Black Scale, a Repertory Grid following Kelly and measures of adjustment to political change. The results indicate that levels of anti-Black African racism, particularly among Whites previously advantaged under apartheid, were high in both years, and have increased with the emergence of the new state. The study found in addition, that orientations towards the new political dispensation were related to levels of racism. Some evidence of outgroup preference for Whites was evident among Black participants, while a degree of outgroup rejection of other Black groups was also evident among these groups in 1996.

Experimenter effects on ingroup preference and self-concept of urban aboriginal children

The present study investigated the effects of experimenter (Aboriginal vs. Anglo), school culture, gender, and age on 117 Aboriginal-Australian children's ingroup preference and self-concept. Based on self-categorisation theory, an experimenter effect on ingroup preference but not on self-concept, was predicted. Past research led to a further hypothesis that the children would show outgroup preference. Results confirmed that the children showed greater ingroup preference when interviewed by an Aboriginal experimenter; no experimenter effect was found with self-concept scores. However, they did not uniformly show outgroup preference as was predicted; scores were quite heterogeneous. While age had no significant effect on ingroup preference, a negative correlation existed between age and self-concept. Self-concept scores were unrelated to ingroup preference scores. Implications of the findings and limitations of the present study are discussed.

Inter-ethnic preferences and ethnic hierarchies in the former soviet union

One-thousand two-hundred and ninety university students from twenty-seven ethnic⧹national groups across six locations in the former Soviet Union (Novopolotsk in Byelorussia, Kharkov in the Ukraine, Moscow and Nizniy Novgorod in Russia, Ufa in the Bashkir Autonomous Republic and Ulan-Ude in the Buryat Autonomous Republic) participated in 1991–1992 in a survey investigating the existence of ingroup preference in inter-ethnic contact, ingroup consensus on an ethnic hierarchy of outgroups and the measure of intergroup consensus on an ethnic hierarchy among the ethnic⧹national groups in each location. Hypotheses about ingroup preference, ethnic hierarchies and consensus were derived from realistic group conflict theory, social identity theory and from the assumption that outgroup preferences reflect considerations of the status effects of intergroup contact. It appeared that the last type of hypothesis could explain most of the results.

Exploring the Determinants of Adult Black Identity: Context and Process

This article assesses the impact of childhood interracial contact and parental socialization on adult black identity. The investigation goes beyond previous work by testing hypotheses about the process by which these two factors operate, as well as differentiating between black and person-of-color identities. Evidence is found to support claims that interracial contact in childhood weakens adult feelings of closeness to other blacks. Mixed support for the impact of parental socialization emerges once a more precise definition of identity is employed. With respect to process, insufficient support is found for the claim that childhood factors affect closeness through black culture and outgroup orientation. The article concludes by outlining arguments regarding the merits of black identity and calling for research to help resolve this controversy.

Sustitución lingüística en las comunidades de habla alicantinas

The specific objective of this analysis is to provide a critical revision of the hypotheses and evaluations reached up to the present on linguistic conflict in Alicante, starting from an appraisal of the findings of a recent survey (Molla, Alpera, Gimeno ef al., 1985). The study of language maintenance and language shift is used in an attempt to determine the current sociolinguistic situation of the Alicante speech communities. In this particular instance, we have studied three dimensions of the above-mentioned conflict: 1) multilectism, 2) language shift from Valencian in economic relations, and 3) negative linguistic attitudes towards Valencian. Among other conclusions, we may say that the type of language preference pattern ¡n the Alicante speech communities is the «outgroup preference», in which speakers of both varieties (Castilian and Catalan) acknowledge the superiority of the dominant group's language variety (standard Castilian) both with regard to social power and to group solidarity values.

The black bourgeoisie and reference group change: A content analysis ofEbony

This study is an analysis of the racial group identification pattern among the black bourgeoisie for the years 1950 through 1979. It is argued that the militant ideology of the 1960's that espoused race pride and common identity affected a shift from a negative out-group orientation to a positive in-group orientation among the black bourgeoisie. To investigate racial group identification, a sample of 525 articles from 108 issues ofEbony magazine were analyzed. The articles were divided into four categories: history/culture, status/wealth, welfare of all, and concern for the poor. These categories were designed to illuminate three types of racial group identification: commonality, individualism, and altruism. Commonality (history/culture and welfare of all) stresses collective heritage and group survival. Individualism (status/wealth) deals exclusively with the influential positions and successes of the black bourgeoisie. Altruism (concern for the poor) stresses awareness of the plight of the poor or collective responsibility for improving their condition. Commonality and altruism are defined as expressing positive racial group identification; individualism as negative identification. The major finding was that racial group identification among the black bourgeoisie, as reflected in changing themes in these articles, has shifted over time. The frequency of positive (commonality and altruism) racial group identification articles increased during the 1960's and 1970's. By contrast, negative (individualism) racial group identification articles decreased. Thus, the post-1965 era black bourgeoisie were significantly more in-group oriented than their pre-1965 counterparts.