INTERETHNIC ATTITUDES IN CANADA - ETHNOCENTRISM, CONSENSUAL HIERARCHYAND RECIPROCITY

A national survey of multicultural and ethnic attitudes was carried ou t in June 1991, with a representative sample of 2500 respondents, and oversamples in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver (total N = 3325). Attit udes towards 14 specific ethnic groups were assessed by asking how com fortable respondents would feel being around them. The ethnic origin o f respondents was also measured by ascertaining the ethnic or cultural group to which their ancestors belonged. Comfort ratings were individ ually centered within each respondent by subtracting the mean rating o f all groups given by a respondent from the rating of a particular gro up by that respondent. These relative comfort ratings of respondents f rom the 12 most numerous ethnic origin groups were aggregated. There w ere nine groups who were both holders and objects of attitudes. Attitu de matrices of attitude holders toward attitude objects were analysed regarding three issues. First, groups rated themselves more highly tha n they rated other groups, indicating the existence of ethnocentrism. Second, there was a high degree of consensus among groups with regard to the relative comfort levels for various other groups: British were rated highest, and Sikhs lowest, in the hierarchy. Third, the mutual a ttitudes of pairs of groups were reciprocated. These findings correspo nd closely to those reported for a 1974 national survey, suggesting an important degree of stability in the organization of interethnic atti tudes in Canada, despite changes in demography, the groups included in the analysis, and the attitude measures used in the survey.