Being the minority hurts or helps? A moderated mediation model of group membership, cross-cultural acceptance, and school adjustment. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shum, Kathy Kar-man; Chan, Winnie Wai Lan; Tsoi, Emily Wing See; Lam, Shui-fong
• Is Part Of: Group processes and intergroup relations. Volume 24:Number 8(2021)
• Page Start: 1355
• Page End: 1371
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: cross-cultural acceptance -- ethnic minority -- majority -- moderated mediation -- school engagement; Intergroup relations -- Periodicals; Social groups -- Periodicals; 302.305
• DOI: 10.1177/1368430220952137
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-4302

Abstract

This study examined the relations between majority/minority group membership and cross-cultural acceptance, and their linkage to school adjustment. A total of 2, 016 students (ethnic minority [EM]: 51%; boys: 50%) at Grades 2, 5, 8, and 11 from 15 schools in Hong Kong participated in the study. These schools were either of low (below 30%) or high EM concentrations (over 70%). EM students at low-EM-concentration schools and Chinese students at high-EM-concentration schools both belonged to the minority groups in their respective schools. Moderated mediation analyses showed that being the numerical minority in school predicted higher school engagement and more positive affect. The associations between numerical group membership and adjustment outcomes were each mediated by the intention to accept outgroup members. In other words, higher cross-cultural acceptance was found among students who were themselves the minority in school, and stronger outgroup acceptance, in turn, predicted better adjustment.