The role of social identity in intergroup attitudes, stigma awareness, and acculturation among students from different ethnic backgrounds

Abstract

There is a growing population of ethnic minority (EM) students in Hong Kong. Understanding students’ intergroup attitudes may shed light on how best to promote social inclusion in schools. This research consisted of two studies and sought to understand the interrelationships among social identity, intergroup perceptions, stigma awareness, acceptance to outgroup members, and acculturation in Grades 2, 5, 8, and 11 students with EM and local Chinese backgrounds. Focus group interviews in Study 1 (N = 68) revealed discrepancies between the views of EM and local Chinese students. EM students described themselves as Hongkongers more than local Chinese students described them. They also held more positive views toward local Chinese students than local students held towards them. These findings were corroborated by those in Study 2, a large-scale survey (N = 3,725). Furthermore, it was found that the more local Chinese students identified EM students as Hongkongers, the more they accepted EM students and the less they perceived stigma towards them. Correspondingly, the more EM students identified themselves as Hongkongers, the more they immersed in Hong Kong culture. EM students with dual identity accepted outgroup members more than their peers who did not claim Hongkonger’s identity.