Abstract
M.A. (Psychology)
The improvement of the attitudes of members of all race groups
towards other groups appears to be an essential precondition for
the promotion of constructive intergroup relations in South
Africa. At present, whites play a dominant role in South African
politics. Relevant research has shown that Afrikaans-speaking
whites have more negative attitudes towards other race groups
than English-speaking whites.
Afrikaans-speaking white students are identified as an important
target group for attitude-modification programmes: it is likely
that this group contains a number of future leaders and opinion-
formers with regard to attitudes towards other race groups. This
group is also accessible for research.
As an attitude object, "other race groups" is very diffuse and
difficult to define. A more specific attitude object is used in
this dissertation, namely "black participation in democratic
political institutions in South Africa". This attitude object can
be clearly defined, and probably has a central position· in the
race attitudes of Afrikaans-speaking whites in South Africa.
An appropriate measuring instrument with adequate psychometric
properties is an essential requirement for research which relates
to the improvement of the attitudes of a target group towards an
attitude object.
A literature survey of research which involves the psychometric
assessment of race attitudes in South Africa indicates that an
appropriate measuring instrument which offers an adequate
psychometric assessment of the attitudes of Afrikaans-speaking,
white students towards black participation in democratic
political institutions in South Africa has not yet been
developed.