Psychologie a její kontexty, Vol.9, No.2

Multikultúrna tolerancia u vysokoškolákov – výsledky overovania programu rozvíjania tolerancie

Multicultural tolerance of university students – results of verification of Tolerance Stimulation Program

Katarína Hennelová, Eva Szobiová

Príspevok sa venuje problematike tolerancie k odlišnostiam a prináša výsledky overovania efektívnosti programu rozvíjania multikultúrnej tolerancie u vysokoškolákov meraním ich postojov pred a po skončení programu. V úvodnej časti predkladá zistenia viacerých výskumov, ktoré sa venovali problematike tolerancie a intolerancie v stredoeurópskom priestore u rôznych skupín populácie. Opierajúc sa o výsledky, ktoré konštatovali zhoršenie vnímania cudzincov občanmi Slovenska, vznikol zámer vypracovať program rozvíjania multikultúrnej tolerancie prostredníctvom kreatívnych skupinových aktivít. Podstatou programu bolo poskytnúť študentom edukatívnou a experienciálnou formou základnú orientáciu v problematike tolerancie k odlišnostiam, prezentovať multikultúrnu toleranciu/intoleranciu ako súčasť dnešného sveta a rozvíjať sociálne zručnosti multikultúrnej komunikácie s inými typmi ľudí z hľadiska kultúry, národa, rasy, náboženstva či minority. Pôsobenie programu sa prejavilo pozitívne v zmene postojov mladých ľudí k odlišnostiam – štatisticky a vecne preukázateľne, keď priaznivo menilo postoje študentov k ľuďom z odlišných kultúr.

Klíčová slova:
multikultúrna tolerancia, postoj, študenti, overovanie programu

Following the theoretical and empirical findings, the aim of the study was to verify the shift in multicultural attitudes by observing the change towards tolerance in university students after applying the Stimulation Tolerance Program. In the introduction, the paper presents research findings on the issue of (in)tolerance in the Central European area in different population groups. Based on the results of research stating deterioration in perception of foreigners by Slovak citizens, the intention was to develop a program developing multicultural tolerance through creative group activities. The research sample consisted of 40 students in the 3rd year of bachelor study at the Faculty of Psychology, Pan-European University in Bratislava, with 5 men and 35 women. The average age of students was 23 years (20–43 years). Students‘ attitudes were examined through the Semantic Differential Scale with five relevant concepts as stimuli: “I”, “Slovak citizen”, “Migrant”, “Refugee”, “Multicultural Tolerance”. Participants scored the concepts on a 7-point scale between 12 pairs of bipolar adjectives. The Semantic Differential Scale was administered in the 1st week of the semester before the application of the 12-week program and the week after its end. The core of the program was to provide students with an educational and experimental form of basic orientation on the issue of tolerance to differences, to present multicultural (in)tolerance as a part of today’s world and to develop social skills of multicultural communication with other groups of people in terms of culture, nation, race, religion or minority. The collected data were processed through the SPSS statistical program using descriptive statistics, non-parametric Wilcoxon test and measure of effect size. Findings have shown that the program has induced changes in students with more favourable perception of themselves (concept “I”). There have been changes on scale in three pairs of adjectives (beautiful – ugly, friendly – hostile, hot – cold), that were statistically significant and showed small/medium/large effect size. There were positive shifts in adjectives mighty, close, calm and hot in the concept “Slovak citizen”, that were on the edge of statistical significance and effect size was small/medium. Even more positive significant average values of the meaning of the concept “Migrant” on all scales after the intervention programme indicate its effectiveness. Positive shifts were also found on all scales of the concept “Refugee” (except for the adjectives – active – passive). In four scales there is a moderate effect size, in one scale (friendly – hostile) there was a small effect size. The concept “Multicultural Tolerance” showed statistically significant positive changes in 10 out of 12 scales, very large effect size was noted in 6 scales. In line with other research, the intervention program has induced positive changes towards the personality maturity of students. Moreover, on the basis of new experiences with effective behavioural patterns in social situations in a safe and supportive environment, students have acquired more favourable perceptions of themselves (as Slovaks) and other people (migrants, refugees). The most positive changes were found in the concept Multicultural Tolerance, which shows the positive impact of the program on students‘ attitudes towards cultural, social, ethnic, religious or racially different people. The differences in the results of both measurements (before and after the program) showed the effect of the implemented program in the direction of positive changes in attitudes of university students towards themselves, but also to other people in terms of a more tolerant perception of differences. The results confirmed the programme’s potential for developing attitudes in the area of tolerance and especially multicultural tolerance.

Keywords:
multicultural tolerance, attitude, students, program verification