Medicine, Mind and Adolescence 1998, XIII, 1-2
ADOLESCENTS
AND IMMIGRANTS FROM
THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES ADOLESCENTS AND THE OTHER
Maria Pediconi, Serena Rossi, Tiziana Schirone1
THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES ADOLESCENTS AND THE OTHER
Maria Pediconi, Serena Rossi, Tiziana Schirone1
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Abstract
Aims.
Adolescence is considered by the most well-known psycho-social theories as the phase of life in which autonomous styles of thought start to be structured in the form of attitudes and prejudices. Conformity, a sense of identity and of belonging to the group and basic factors in the adolescent's affective, moral and social development can undelie the formation of discriminatory and intolerant cognitive and affective structures of thought toward the 'outsider'.
The aim of this research is to investigate the type, the evolution and the characteristics of adolescents' attitudes toward foreigners (especially those coming from the Third World countries) and the ways in which the prejudice is formed. A multiracial society with the consequent cases of immigration, even an illegal one, give us reasons for reflecting on the role of young people in this context of social changes.
In our research we first wanted to analyze the affective and cognitive reasons that may represent a pre-requisite, which hinders in the young the integration of the outsider. We also investigated whether and in which ways adolescents acquire prejudices within the primary group or other socialization contexts, either institutional or informal ones. Finally, investigated whether the juvenile uneasiness spread among young people may influence the intolerance of different people and cultures.
Method.
The sample included 200 adolescents aged between 16 and 17 who were representative of the young population of the town of Pesaro. The sample was divided into two groups - one which included adolescents with a technical education (a land-surveyor school) and the other included people with a scientific education - in order to test whether the kind of education influences the formation of prejudices. Data were collected with a questionnaire which investigated: the structure of attitudes toward people immigrated from Third World countries; whether there were racial prejudices toward immigration; from which sources they learned these attitudes and prejudices; cognitive and affective structures which support these attitudes and prejudices; and potential or actual discriminatory behaviors. Data have been analyzed using frequencies distribution concerning the whole sample and the sub-groups divided by sex and kind of education.
Results.
The results show varying attitudes by sex and type of education. Most of those with a technical education showed higher prejudiced attitudes toward the outsiders in comparison to the majority of those of the same age and a scientific education that, conversely, show a more tolerant attitude. Males were less tolerant than females.
These results hilight the specific affective and cognitive structures underlying prejudice attitudes toward the 'internal foreigner’ that are grounded in the process of primary socialization. The social representations, more or less stigmatizing, bind the early sources of learning with affective and emotional supports that settle adult personal identity.
Conclusions.
From these results it is possible to plan some psycho-social and pedagogical intervention guidelines in order to help those involved in education or in the intervention in the field of juvenile policies to reduce the social risks resulting from possible discriminatory behaviors.
Key Words: Adolescence, prejudice toward immigrants, Third World countries.
1. Correspondence to: Dr. Maria Pediconi, Prof. Serena Rossi, Dr. Tiziana Schirone, Istituto di Psicologia, Università di Urbino, 61029 Urbino (Ps). E-mail: m.pediconi@uniurb.it, s.rossi@uniurb.it, t.schirone@uniurb.it.
