Ethnic and National Identities: Links to Outgroup Attitudes via Attribution of Responsibility and Perceived Interethnic Conflict

The present study investigated interrelationships between ethnic and national identification and outgroup attitudes by testing the mediating roles of perceived interethnic conflict and outgroup attribution of responsibility. In the light of social identity theory, it was hypothesized that the association between ethnic identity and positive outgroup attitudes would be negative and would be mediated by increased levels of perceived conflict and outgroup attribution of responsibility. On the other hand, based on the common ingroup identity model, it was predicted that the association between national identity and positive outgroup attitudes would be positive and would be mediated by decreased levels of perceived conflict and outgroup attribution of responsibility. A total of 320 Turkish and 153 Kurdish participants completed questionnaires in university campuses located in various parts of Turkey. Path analyses showed that the associations between both identities and outgroup attitudes were in line with the predicted directions. Moreover, both mediators perceived conflict level and out-group attribution of responsibility had significant roles in these associations. Ethnic group differences also emerged; compared to the Turkish group, Kurdish participants displayed higher levels of perceived conflict and outgroup attribution of responsibility, as well as lower levels of positive outgroup attitudes. Interethnic relationships between Turkish and Kurdish group members were discussed in the light of social identity theory and common ingroup identity model.