Factors affecting acceptance of aboriginal reconciliation amongst non-Indigenous Australians

Abstract

Non-Indigenous Australians (n = 282) drawn from high school, Tafe, and university completed a questionnaire measuring levels of ingroup identification; judgements about the legitimacy, stability, and flexibility of Indigenous people's social position; perceived threats of reconciliation to their personal security and social acceptance; and support for the general aims, specific objectives, and overall work of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Results of the descriptive analysis suggested that respondents were mainly supportive of the reconciliation process. Results of a confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the latent factors in the path model, which were drawn from social identity theory and the Council's aims and objectives, were reliably represented by the measurement variables. Path analysis using structural equation modelling indicated that level of ingroup identification reliably predicted judgements about group positioning, which subsequently predicted support for the Council's specific objectives and work overall. Endorsement of the Council's general aims and perceived low self-threat did not translate into support for the Council's specific objectives and overall work. The implications for promotion of reconciliation amongst non-Indigenous Australians are discussed.