Exploring Prejudice toward Aboriginal People: Interviews with White Canadian University Students A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in the Department of Psychology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada By Melanie A. Brockman © Melanie A. Brockman, August 2013. All rights reserved. Exploring Prejudice PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a post-graduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the libraries of this university may make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor who supervised my thesis work or, in his absence, by the Head of the Department of Psychology or the Dean of the College of Arts and Science. It is understood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis, or parts thereof, for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Requests for permission to copy or to make other uses of materials in this thesis, in whole or in part, should be addressed to: Head of the Department of Psychology University of Saskatchewan Arts 154, 9 Campus Drive Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5 i Exploring Prejudice ABSTRACT Although Aboriginal people in Canada are subject to marginalization and racism, researchers have devoted limited attention to studying White Canadians’ prejudice toward this group. In addition, little qualitative research has been conducted with individuals known to possess prejudiced attitudes. This study addressed these gaps in the literature. A two-part mixed-methods approach was employed. In Phase 1, a questionnaire was administered to 192 non-Aboriginal undergraduate students. Endorsement of old-fashioned prejudice was somewhat low, though a sizeable minority of participants (29%) scored above the midpoint on this measure. The mean score on the modern prejudice measure was above the scale midpoint, and the majority of the sample (61%) scored above the midpoint, suggesting that modern prejudice toward Aboriginal people was fairly prevalent in this sample. Phase 1 participants who scored above the midpoint on one or both prejudice measures and reported a White ethnicity were invited to participate in an interview. Interviews with 13 of these individuals (nine women and four men) were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The themes that emerged have provided insight into the ways in which old-fashioned and modern prejudiced attitudes toward Aboriginal people are created and maintained. The socialization process emerged as a key contributor to participants’ attitudes toward Aboriginal people (e.g., internalization of stereotypes about Aboriginal people). Modern prejudiced sentiments mainly revolved around the perceived unfairness of the presumed special treatment of Aboriginal people in Canada. Ambivalence toward Aboriginal people, a core feature of modern prejudice, was also observed. Consistent with the conceptualization of old-fashioned prejudice, some participants implied that Aboriginal people possess inherent inferiorities (e.g., poor work ethic) that are responsible for the social problems they encounter. This was often linked to a perception that Aboriginal people have the choice to advance themselves, but many are content with being financially dependent on the government. It is posited that participants’ apparent surface-level evaluations and understandings of Aboriginal people and social issues demonstrate that increased awareness and education may be needed among the Canadian public (e.g., regarding societal factors that serve to maintain inequality). Limitations of this study along with avenues for future research are also discussed. ii Exploring Prejudice ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This undertaking would not have been possible without the support of several individuals. I would first like to sincerely thank my supervisor, Dr. Todd Morrison, for his guidance and support throughout my graduate studies as well as his professional, respectful, and easy-going approach to working with me. His knowledge and expertise, along with his feedback on my coursework and thesis, has been highly valuable in expanding my skills as a researcher. I am very grateful for the advice I have received from my committee members, Dr. Melanie Morrison and Dr. Louise Alexitch. I really appreciate the positive interactions I have had with them and the time they devoted to my thesis. Dr. Morrison’s expertise in the area of prejudice toward Aboriginal people and Dr. Alexitch’s expertise in the area of survey research were particularly beneficial to me in light of the objectives of this research. I would like to thank the individuals who participated in my study, especially those who devoted time and effort to participating in an interview surrounding a socially sensitive topic. Lastly, I would like to thank my family and friends for their interest and encouragement along the way. I feel very fortunate to have such amazing people in my life. I would especially like to express thanks to my partner Brodie, whose friendship, patience, and support was tremendously instrumental in the completion of my thesis. iii Exploring Prejudice TABLE OF CONTENTS PERMISSION TO USE ................................................................................................................................. i ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................................... vii LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................................... ix 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview of Prejudice ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.1 Causes and correlates of prejudice ......................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Types of prejudice ................................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Literature Review of Prejudice toward Indigenous Peoples ............................................................... 8 1.2.1 Australian research ................................................................................................................. 8 1.2.2 American research ................................................................................................................ 11 1.2.3 Canadian research ................................................................................................................ 13 1.2.4 Qualitative research .............................................................................................................. 20 1.3 Measuring Prejudice ......................................................................................................................... 22 1.3.1 Approaches to measurement ................................................................................................. 22 1.3.2 The role of social desirability ............................................................................................... 23 1.4 Purpose and Objectives of this Research .......................................................................................... 24 1.5 Situating Myself in the Research ....................................................................................................... 25 2. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................. 25 2.1 Methodological Approach ................................................................................................................ 25 2.2 Methodological Framework .............................................................................................................. 26 2.3 Justification for Data Collection Methods ........................................................................................ 27 2.3.1 Advantages associated with conducting interviews .............................................................. 30 3. PHASE 1: QUESTIONNAIRE STUDY ................................................................................................ 31 3.1 Method .............................................................................................................................................. 31 3.1.1 Participants