An empirical investigation of the relationship between existential meaning-in-life and racial prejudice

[摘要] This study had two main objectives: Firstly, to investigate the relationship betweenexistential meaning-in-life and racial prejudice amongst students at StellenboschUniversity; secondly to investigate how quantifiable aspects of existential meaning-inliferelate to each other to determine existential meaning-in-life in a clear, quantifiableway. The study was conducted on an ad hoc-sample of 149 students fromStellenbosch University.Relevant existential theories were reviewed in order to extract quantifiable aspects ofexistential meaning-in-life. The following Scales were used to measure these aspects:The Self-Transcendence Scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory; theConformity Scale; the Self-Reflectivity subscale of the Self-Consciousness Scale; theInterpersonal Reactivity Index; the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values; and thePurpose in Life Test. A principal components analysis revealed that conformity didnot relate adequately to the other variables. The following underlying dimensions ofexistential meaning-in-life emerged: Self-Absolution, Life Appreciation andExistential Self-Transcendence. These dimensions were entered into multipleregression analyses to predict the respective subscales of the Color-Blind RacialAttitudes Scale (COBRAS), which was used to measure racial prejudice. Regressionanalyses showed Self-Absolution to predict scores on Subscale A of the COBRAS,Life Appreciation predicted scores on Subscale B, and all the dimensions predictedscores on Subscale C. Gender differences in the relationship between predictorvariables and outcome variables emerged. It was found that this relationship wasconsiderably weaker in women, if not absent: Only Self-Absolution was found topredict scores on Subscale C, while none of the underlying dimensions could predictscores on any of the other subscales. Gender differences on other variables alsoemerged, suggesting that the underlying dimensions of existential meaning-in-lifemay differ between genders.The results of this study, as well as its limitations are discussed, as arerecommendations for further study.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University