Date of Award

1-1-1996

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Teaching & Learning

Abstract

A key goal of multicultural education is to help students attain more positive racial attitudes. Racial incidents on college and university campuses in the United States attracted national attention. The schools in Western societies need to act decisively to help students acquire more democratic attitudes and values. The literature suggests that schools can help students become less prejudiced and acquire more democratic attitudes and values.The purpose of this study was to examine students' attitudes toward racial/ethnic issues and groups and to identify predictors of attitudes among undergraduate college students (N = 583). Data were gathered using a three part survey Instrument consisting of social distance toward nationality grouping scale, campus environment scale, and demographic characteristics and experiences. The surveys were administered in a university located in a medium size Midwest city. Factor analysis reduced the 76 items on the scales to seven factors. Two factors were extracted from the social distance scale; European and Non-European, and five factors were generated from the campus environment scale; namely Attitude Toward Programs, Perception of Personnel, Perception of Having Had Negative racial/ethnic Experience, Perception of Having Had Positive Racial/Ethnic Experience, and Perception of Racial/Ethnic Interaction. The dependent variables were social distance toward nationality groupings. Stepwise regression ordered the independent factors in predicting attitudes toward nationality groupings and issues.The analysis revealed that respondents' attitudes tended to be more positive toward the Europeans. The majority of respondents were supportive of promoting racial/ethnic programs and personnel with more awareness. However, those with high social distance toward Europeans favored promoting personnel over programs, while the preferences were reversed for those with greater social distance toward Non-Europeans. The demographic variables race and age of respondents were strong predictors of social distance toward Europeans. The level of racial/ethnic interaction was a negative predictor of social distance toward both European and Non-European factors.Gender, race, community size, academic level, percent of other ethnic students in high school, level of exposure, and size of high school graduating class served as predictors for Attitude Toward racial/ethnic Programs, Perception of Personnel, Perception of having had Negative racial/ethnic Experience, and Perception of racial/ethnic Interaction, Perception of having had positive experience, and interaction.

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