An experimental study was conducted to analyse if perceived concordance on intergroup contact and culture maintenance might influence the attitudes and behavioural investment of international students toward the majority members. The mediating role of metastereotypes and some intercultural communication factors (self-disclosure, contact avoidance, and certainty) were investigated. The participants were 114 international students in Italy (mean age = 22.83), who were categorized into different levels of concordance with respect to culture maintenance and intercultural contact. Our findings showed that perceived concordance with respect to culture maintenance influenced international students’ desire for contact with majority members. Conflict avoidance mediated the relationship between concordance with respect to culture maintenance and behavioural investment. No other mediational relationships were statistically significant. This research is one of a small number of studies examining how concordance of acculturation preferences can influence the intergroup attitudes and intentions of international students. Specifically, the most positive outcomes were produced when majority members were perceived as sharing ideas concerning culture maintenance with international students. Interventions that aim to improve majority–minority relations should consider not only the preferences of minority members with respect to acculturation, but also the way minority members perceive the expectations of majority members and, more notably, the interplay between preferences and perceptions.

Do you think like me? Perceived concordance concerning contact and culture maintenance on international students’ intentions for contact with the host-society / Matera, Camilla; Tatsuya, Imai; Pinzi, Sara. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS. - ISSN 0147-1767. - STAMPA. - 63:(2018), pp. 27-37. [10.1016/j.ijintrel.2017.11.004]

Do you think like me? Perceived concordance concerning contact and culture maintenance on international students’ intentions for contact with the host-society

Camilla Matera
;
Sara Pinzi
2018

Abstract

An experimental study was conducted to analyse if perceived concordance on intergroup contact and culture maintenance might influence the attitudes and behavioural investment of international students toward the majority members. The mediating role of metastereotypes and some intercultural communication factors (self-disclosure, contact avoidance, and certainty) were investigated. The participants were 114 international students in Italy (mean age = 22.83), who were categorized into different levels of concordance with respect to culture maintenance and intercultural contact. Our findings showed that perceived concordance with respect to culture maintenance influenced international students’ desire for contact with majority members. Conflict avoidance mediated the relationship between concordance with respect to culture maintenance and behavioural investment. No other mediational relationships were statistically significant. This research is one of a small number of studies examining how concordance of acculturation preferences can influence the intergroup attitudes and intentions of international students. Specifically, the most positive outcomes were produced when majority members were perceived as sharing ideas concerning culture maintenance with international students. Interventions that aim to improve majority–minority relations should consider not only the preferences of minority members with respect to acculturation, but also the way minority members perceive the expectations of majority members and, more notably, the interplay between preferences and perceptions.
2018
63
27
37
Matera, Camilla; Tatsuya, Imai; Pinzi, Sara
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Matera_Imai_Pinzi_2017.pdf

Accesso chiuso

Descrizione: Matera, Imai, & Pinzi 2018
Tipologia: Pdf editoriale (Version of record)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati
Dimensione 240.02 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
240.02 kB Adobe PDF   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/1104109
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 14
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 12
social impact