SOCIAL DISTANCE AMONG CAUCASIAN-CANADIANS AND ASIAN, LATIN-AMERICAN AND EASTERN-EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS IN QUEBEC - A 2-PART STUDY

Caucasian Canadians and Asian, Latin-American, and Eastern European im migrants (N = 109) participated in a two-part study of inter-group soc ial distance. In the first part, ANOVA showed that of the four groups, Asians reported the greatest social distance toward others, whereby t hey did not differentiate between the three out-groups. Next were the Latin-Americans who preferred Caucasian Canadians over Eastern Europea ns and Asians. Eastern Europeans in turn felt closest to Caucasian Can adians and less close to Latin-Americans and Asians. Caucasian Canadia ns reported the smallest overall social distance; they did not differe ntiate between the three out-groups. As target group, Caucasian Canadi ans were more preferred than were Asians, Latin-Americans, and Eastern Europeans. The latter three groups in turn received greatest sympathe tic understanding from Caucasian Canadians. In the second part, analys es of the data of the four groups combined indicated that individuals with limited education, low family income, and high authoritarianism p erceived greater social distance between themselves and members of out -groups.