Does polyculturalism explain the relationship between personality, thinking style, and prejudice in Australia?

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Psychology

Document Type

Article

Source Title

Australian Psychologist

Volume

56

Issue

5

First Page

406

Last Page

416

Publication Date

2021

Abstract

Objective: Polyculturalism, a relatively new intergroup ideology conceptualises culture as dynamic by emphasising intergroup connections. Previous research has linked polyculturalism to less negative attitudes towards different racial and ethnic groups. However, the under- pinnings of this relationship is not well understood. It was predicted that openness to experience, agreeableness, and cognitive flexibility (alternative and control) would be asso- ciated with lower racial and ethnic prejudice and that polyculturalism would mediate these relationships.

Method: The sample consisted of 391 undergraduate students and community members who completed a polyculturalism measure, openness to experience and agreeableness scales of the Big Five Aspect Scale, the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, and the Australian Racism, Acceptance, and Culture-Ethnocentrism Scale.

Results: Path analysis indicated openness to experience, agreeableness, and cognitive flex- ibility (alternative) were each associated with less generalised racial and ethnic prejudice, and that polyculturalism mediated the relationship between openness to experience and prejudice and cognitive flexibility- alternative and prejudice.

Conclusion: Polyculturalism may be an important avenue for understanding and reducing racial and ethnic prejudice in a racially and ethnically diverse Australia.

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Disciplines

Psychology

Keywords

Multiculturalism--Australia; Prejudices--Australia

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