Browsing by Author "Human, Kayla"
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- ItemA multilevel examination of the moderating role of diversity and tutorial language on intergroup contact in the first-year psychology tutorial programme at Stellenbosch University(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Human, Kayla; Swart, Hermann; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology.ENGLISH SUMMARY: Given South Africa’s long history of ethnic segregation and violence, improving ethnic relations remains an important goal for this country. Evidence suggests that intergroup contact is one of the most effective methods for reducing prejudice and improving intergroup attitudes (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Furthermore, research has shown that an increase in diversity is positively related to intergroup contact, and subsequently improved intergroup relations. The present study investigated the extent to which diversity (opportunity for contact) within a first-year psychology tutorial class influenced the direct intergroup contact taking place within the tutorial classes. Furthermore, the present study aimed to examine the moderating role of language of tuition on the relationship between diversity and direct contact. A cross-sectional multi-level design was implemented to test the effects of diversity and language of tuition. Data were collected from students registered for the first-year Psychology 144 module at Stellenbosch University (N = 1,154). The findings from the present study show that diversity within the tutorial classroom significantly predicts an increase in direct contact, for both the majority and minority groups. Moreover, students in Afrikaans tutorials experience significantly less direct intergroup contact, compared to those in English tutorials. Tutorial language was also found to significantly moderate the relationship between diversity and direct contact for the white majority group only. For the white majority group the relationship between diversity and direct contact was significantly stronger in the English tutorials compared to the Afrikaans tutorials. The present study contributes to the existing literature of intergroup contact in South Africa, examining the effects of diversity within a smaller everyday setting. Learning how to take advantage of the increasing diversity will enable us to harness the prejudice-reducing effects of intergroup contact.