The effects of biculturalism, bicultural identity integration, and emotional ambivalence on attitudes toward diversity
Abstract
Integrating affective events theory (Weiss & Cropanzano, 1996), the frame switching model (Hong, Morris, Chiu, Benet-Martinez, 2000) and social identity theory (Tajfel, Flament, Billing, & Bundy, 1971; Tajfel, 1974; Turner, Brown, & Tajfel 1979; Tajfel, 1981), I argue that biculturalism is both positively associated with emotional ambivalence and attitudes toward diversity. I also hypothesize that bicultural identity integration (BII) is negatively associated with emotional ambivalence and moderates the relationship between biculturalism and emotional ambivalence. Finally, emotional ambivalence partially mediates the relationship between biculturalism and attitudes toward diversity. I conducted two studies in a South-Western university in the US. Participants were invited to answer on-line surveys, and they receive gift certificates in return for their participation. In one of the studies, I also invited participants' significant others to answer an online survey. Both studies indicated that there is a negative relationship between bicultural identity integration and emotional ambivalence. No moderation effects of bicultural identity integration in the first study was found, but the second study showed conditional effects of bicultural identity integration. The positive relationship between biculturalism and attitudes toward diversity was supported in only one study. The results from the two studies indicated that there is no positive relationship between biculturalism and emotional ambivalence. Finally, there was no indirect effects between biculturalism and attitudes toward diversity in both studies. I discuss the contributions and the implications of the findings.
Subject Area
Cultural Resources Management|Ethnic studies
Recommended Citation
Al-Riyami, Said M, "The effects of biculturalism, bicultural identity integration, and emotional ambivalence on attitudes toward diversity" (2014). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI3682445.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI3682445