The social identity and inter-group attitudes of white English- and Afrikaans-speaking adolescents

Abstract

Issues of group identity and prejudice have played a large role in the history of South Africa. To examine differences between White English- and Afrikaans-speaking adolescents within the context of the "new" South Africa, data was collected from 553 high school students using a questionnaire which assessed aspects of these groups' perceptions of themselves (their identities), attitudes toward other racial groups (their prejudices), and beliefs about their rapidly changing socio-political environment. A discriminant function analysis conducted with these variables correctly identified group membership at a rate much higher than chance (p < .00001). Post hoc univariate analyses indicated that compared with Afrikaans-speakers, English-speakers demonstrated significantly less identification with their own culture, less racial prejudice but also less willingness to make retribution to those who were oppressed by Apartheid, and less concern/confusion over the recent changes which have taken place in the country. Descriptive and correlational analyses also provided additional, valuable information regarding the variables assessed in the study. Overall, the results seemed to indicate that the adolescent subjects of this study find themselves in a state of transition.