Group identification and perceived discrimination : a study of international students in the UK
Year: 2010
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This thesis examined how international students experience life in the UK and, \nin particular, how these students respond to experiences with discrimination and \nsocial exclusion. Specifically, we drew on the rejection-identification model \n(Branscombe et al., 1999) in order to examine the impact of minority group \nidentification as a coping strategy against perceptions of discrimination. Despite the \nnumber of studies supporting the rejection-identification model (e.g. Schmitt et al., 2002, Schmitt et al., 2003), discrepant findings were found in other research (e.g. McCoy & Major, 2003; Eccleston & Major, 2006). In order to solve these \ninconsistencies we proposed to extend this model in two important ways. Firstly, \nbuilding on important work on the multidimensionality of social identification (e.g. Cameron & Lalonde, 2001; Ellemers et al., 1999; Jackson, 2002), we argued that a \nmultidimensional perspective of the rejection-identification model is fundamental \ngiven that different dimensions of social identification (i.e. ingroup affect, centrality, and ingroup ties) have different effects on psychological well-being. Secondly, we hypothesised that the protective effect of the different dimensions of social \nidentification depended upon individual preferences, beliefs and behaviours towards \nown and host group (i.e. acculturation strategies). These two extensions to the \nrejection-identification model were tested longitudinally with a sample of 160 \ninternational students. Results indicated that none of the dimensions of social \nidentification serve to protect students from the harmful effects of discrimination. \nIndeed, support was found for the argument that it is important to investigate possible \nmoderators of the rejection-identification relationship. Our results also indicated that \nwhen international students perceive discrimination, a separation strategy allows them to maintain ingroup affect, and in this way protect their self-esteem. Integration, \nmarginalisation, and assimilation strategies were associated with lower ingroup affect \nleaving these students without a successful strategy to cope with discrimination. \nAlthough the aim of this thesis was to examine the experiences of international \nstudents, in Chapter 7 we replicated our previous model with a sample of Polish \nimmigrants (N = 66) in order to test whether our results could be generalised to other \nminority groups. Results supported the previous findings with international students. Finally, the discussion of this thesis focused on the importance of taking into account individual acculturation strategies in order to understand the relation between perceived discrimination, minority group identification, and well-being. We also focused on how the knowledge generated by this research may support international students.
Author: Miguel R. Ramos
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1487096186