Ethnocentrism Among Nigerian Students in American Colleges and Universities (Ethnicity, Ethnic Groups, Anxiety).

Abstract

Purpose. The study considered three evidences of ethnocentrism among Nigerian college students in public and private (religious) institutions in the midwestern United States. It investigated differences between Nigerian college students' general anxiety levels and anxiety about (1) residing outside of Nigeria, (2) contributing their expertise outside of Nigeria, and (3) contributing to the political and economic advantage of Nigerian ethnic groups other than their own. Particular attention was given to Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo students. Methodology. Data were obtained from a 56-item questionnaire administered to 267 respondents in 12 public and 5 private colleges and universities. ANOVA was used to compare dependent variable scores of individuals grouped by demographic variables. The Scheffe post hoc technique was used to compare significance between group means on given independent variables; chi-square was used to compare relationships across groups on given independent variables. Findings. Nigerian college students who tended to have high general anxiety also tended to have high anxiety about residing outside of Nigeria, about contributing their potential expertise outside of Nigeria, and about contributing to the political and economic advantage of Nigerian ethnic groups other than their own. Relationships did exist between (1) Nigerian college students' anxiety about residing outside of Nigeria and about contributing their expertise outside of Nigeria; (2) anxiety about residing outside of Nigeria and about contributing to the political and economic advantage of Nigerian ethnic groups other than their own; and (3) anxiety about contributing expertise outside of Nigeria and about contributing to the political and economic advantage of Nigerian ethnic groups other than their own. Conclusions. Among Nigerian college students, high general anxiety related to anxiety on the three evidences of ethnocentrism examined. Nigerian college students in American colleges and universities do not wish to contribute their expertise outside of Nigeria after their advanced formal education. However, when they return to Nigeria they may be primarily concerned with contributing to the political and economic advantage of their own ethnic group.