Date of Award

2007

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts Honours

School

School of Psychology and Social Sciences

Faculty

Faculty of Community Services, Education and Social Sciences

First Supervisor

Dr Justine Dandy

Abstract

Increasing trends in immigration in the contemporary world have reaffirmed the importance of understanding intercultural relations within multifarious, plural societies. A research-based understanding of these societies is essential for their successful management. This review focuses upon how the construct of ethnocentrism and its composites are related to attitudes to immigration and diversity. Theoretical explanations of ethnocentrism and intergroup processes are provided, and ethnocentrism is discussed in relation to several precipitators and moderators of ethnocentric attitudes to immigration and diversity, including authoritarianism, social dominance, security, ethnic hierarchies, cultural distance, and social conditions. It is recommended that future research focuses on the reciprocal views of ethnic groups in multi ethnic societies to gain a more accurate understanding of attitudes to immigration and diversity. International immigration creates culturally and ethnically diverse societies. In order to form a cohesive and inclusive society, societies must have an understanding of the aggregates of positive and negative attitudes towards immigrants and cultural diversity. This study focused upon how the construct of ethnocentrism is related to UK migrants' attitudes to immigration and diversity. Specifically, the study focused on the research question; does a relationship exist between ethnocentrism (ingroup favouratism and outgroup tolerance) and attitudes to cultural diversity and immigration? A total of 107 (59 female, 47 male) UK migrants were surveyed. The results indicate the majority of migrants viewed the ingroup most favourably, had neutral or indifferent attitudes towards diversity and were moderately tolerant of outgroups. Respondents who indicated they had a positive attitude towards multiculturalism demonstrated lower ethnocentrism scores. Those who were moderately tolerant of outgroups also had low ethnocentrism scores. Moreover, a simultaneous regression analysis showed that education was also an important predictor of attitudes to multiculturalism. In addition, a hierarchical preference for outgroups was also found in the study. These findings implicate the necessity for Australian research focusing on mutual and reciprocal attitudes of all migrants focusing on cultural diversity and immigration attitudes.

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