Perspective Taking to Improve Attitudes towards International Teaching Assistants: The Role of National Identification and Prior Attitudes

Abstract

Undergraduate students negatively evaluate international TAs in universities across the U.S. Using the social identity framework a perspective-taking intervention is proposed to improve undergraduate students’ attitudes towards International TAs. Students (n = 143) were randomly assigned to receive target-focused or self-focused perspective-taking instructions before they watched a video of a distressed International TA. After watching the video, students completed a survey about their national identification, prior attitudes towards international TAs, and their willingness to support international TAs. Results indicated that students who engaged in target-focused perspective taking were more willing to support international TAs than those who engaged in self-focused perspective taking. The effect of perspective taking was influenced by students’ level of national identification and prior attitudes towards international TAs.

Keywords:

• International Teaching Assistants
• Social Identity Theory
• Intergroup Attitudes
• Perspective Taking
• National Identification