ERIC Number: EJ886212
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jun
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
Parental and School Effects on Children's Political Attitudes in Northern Ireland
Stringer, Maurice; Irwing, Paul; Giles, Melanie; McClenahan, Carol; Wilson, Ronnie; Hunter, John
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v80 n2 p223-240 Jun 2010
Background: Recent research has suggested that intergroup contacts with out-group members can both reduce prejudice and is associated with attitude change. Aim: This study extends prior work in Northern Ireland to examine parental and schooling effects on children's attitudes in a post-conflict environment. Sample: A large-scale cross-sectional survey of secondary schoolchildren (N = 1,732) and their parents (N = 800) in Northern Ireland assessed the effects of in-school and out-of-school intergroup contacts on intergroup attitudes. Method: Multivariate analysis of variance was employed to examine associations between children's political attitudes and parental, group membership, school, and contact variables. Conclusions: The results suggest that parental attitudes, group membership, and cross-group contacts explain the majority of variance (58%) in children's political attitudes. The findings provide a comprehensive account of the factors that influence children's political attitudes within a deeply divided society and offer teachers and educationalists a way to improve community relations in a segregated society.
Descriptors: Group Membership, Student Attitudes, Political Attitudes, Multivariate Analysis, Attitude Change, Community Relations, Foreign Countries, Parent Influence, Case Studies, Surveys, Social Bias, Intergroup Relations, Secondary School Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A