Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Friendships in general are a very powerful form of interpersonal contact, and cross-group friendships in particular have been shown to be particularly effective in promoting positive outgroup attitudes (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Very few studies have compared same-group and cross-group friendships along their underlying processes. The present study aimed to explore, firstly, the differences and similarities between same-group and cross-group friendships along various interpersonal variables, including friendship length, friendship type, friendship contact, positive and negative reciprocal self-disclosure, friendship functions, and friendship affection. Secondly, the present study explored, and compared, the structural relationships between these interpersonal variables across the two friendship conditions. Thirdly, the present study explored how the generalization of attitudes towards the specific cross-group friendship influence attitudes to the outgroup as a whole. Finally, the present study explored the extent to which contact with a specific cross-group friend exposed the ingroup participants to a broader social network of outgroup members. Cross-sectional survey data was collected amongst 468 White South African first year students studying at Stellenbosch University using electronic surveys. The final sample comprised of 235 of the respondents in the same-group friendship condition (who completed questions relating to their closest same-gender, White South African friend) and 233 respondents in the cross-group friendship condition (who completed questions relating to their closest same-gender, Coloured South African friend). Results indicated that same-group friendships were qualitatively more intimate than cross-group friendships, characterized by significantly greater scores on all the interpersonal variables. Path analyses revealed a number of differences in the structural relationships between the interpersonal variables across the two friendship conditions, as well as a number of important mediation effects for both same- and cross-group friendships. Furthermore, cross-group friendship affection was significantly associated with more positive attitudes towards the outgroup in general, even when controlling for prior contact with the outgroup in general. Finally, contact with the cross-group friend was associated with greater contact with the cross-group friend‟s same-group friends, which was in turn associated with more outgroup friendships. Collectively, these results not only shed light on the mean-level and structural similarities and differences amongst interpersonal-level friendship variables associated with same- and cross-group friendships, but they also make a valuable contribution to the contact literature, providing a number of insights for the improvement of structured intergroup contact interventions that are aimed at facilitating the development of cross-group friendships and the improvement of outgroup attitudes. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vriendskappe oor die algemeen is 'n baie kragtige vorm van interpersoonlike kontak, en kruis-groep vriendskappe in die besonder is besonder effektief om positiewe buitegroep (outgroup) houdings te bevorder (Pettigrew & Tropp, 2006). Baie min studies het selfde-groep vriendskappe en kruis-groep vriendskappe met betrekking tot hul onderliggende prosesse vergelyk. Die huidige studie het beoog om eerstens, die verskille en ooreenkomste tussen selfde-groep en kruis-groep vriendskappe met betrekking tot verskeie interpersoonlike veranderlikes te bestudeer. Hierdie veranderlikes sluit in die lengte van die vriendskap, vriendskaps tipe, vriendskaps kontak, positiewe en negatiewe wedersydse self-bekendmaking, vriendskaps funksies en vriendskaps gehegtheid. Die studie het tweedens die strukturele verhoudings tussen hierdie interpersoonlike veranderlikes vir elke vriendskapskondisie bestudeer en vergelyk. Die studie het derdens bestudeer tot watter mate positiewe houdings teenoor die spesifieke kruis-groep vriend veralgemeen tot positiewe houdings teenoor die buitegroep as 'n geheel. Die studie het, ten slotte, bestudeer tot watter mate kontak met die spesifieke kruis-groep vriend die binne-groep (ingroup) deelnemers blootstel tot 'n breeër netwerk van buitegroep lede. Deursnee opname data is ingesamel met behulp van elektoniese vraelyste onder 468 Blanke Suid-Afrikaanse eerstejaar studente wat studeer aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch. Die finale steekproef het bestaan uit 235 deelnemers in die selfde-groep vriendskap kondisie (wat vrae beantwoord het met betrekking tot hul naaste, selfde-geslag, selfde-groep vriend) en 233 deelnemers in die kruis-groep vriendskaps kondisie (wat vrae beantwoord het met betrekking tot hul naaste, selfde-geslag, Kleurling Suid-Afrikaanse vriend). Die resultate het aangedui dat selfde groep vriendskappe kwalitatief meer intiem is as kruis-groep vriendskappe, en word gekenmerk deur beduidend hoër tellings op al die interpersoonlike veranderlikes. Pad-ontledings analises het aangedui dat daar 'n paar verskille in die strukturele verhoudinge tussen die twee vriendskapskondisies is, sowel as 'n aantal belangrike bemiddeling (mediation) effekte vir beide selfde-groep vriendskappe en kruis-groep vriendskappe. Die resultate het verder aangedui dat kruis-groep vriendskaps gehegtheid beduidend geassosïeer is met meer positiewe houdings teenoor die buitegroep in die algemeen, selfs wanneer die invloed van vroeëre kontak met die buitegroep gekontroleer word. Ten slotte, kontak met die kruis-groep vriend is geassosïeer met meer kontak met die kruis-groep vriend se vriende (wat van dieselfde groep is), wat op die beurt geassosïeer is met meer buitegroep vriendskappe. Gesamentlik werp hierdie resultate nie net lig op die gemiddelde-vlak en strukturele ooreenkomste en verskille tussen selfde-groep vriendskappe en kruis-groep vriendskappe met betrekking tot die interpersoonlike veranderlikes nie, maar dit maak ook 'n waardevolle bydrae tot die kontak literatuur. Dit voorsien 'n aantal bydraes vir die verbetering van gestruktureerde intergroep kontak ingrypings wat daarop gemik is om die ontwikkeling van kruis-groep vriendskappe en die verbetering van buitegroep houdings te fasiliteer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6735 |
| Date | January 1900 |
| Creators | Goosen, Anneke |
| Contributors | Swart, Hermann, Painter, Desmond, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 153 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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