Ethnic Identity and Patriotism in Adolescents: The Role of Age, Group Status and Social Context

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine age differences of
minority and majority adolescents regarding ethnic identity,
in-group bias (as a form of ethnic attachment), and
constructive and blind patriotism (as a form of national
attachment). The study was conducted in four multi-ethnic
contexts in Croatia: Croatian-Czech, Croatian-Hungarian,
Croatian-Serbian and Croatian-Italian. The results of
N = 924 students of primary (sixth, seventh and eighth
grade) and secondary (second, third and fourth grade)
schools were analysed. The average age was M = 14.99,
SD = 2.17 years. Younger pupils express higher levels of
ethnic identity and blind patriotism, whereas constructive
patriotism was more expressed in older students. There
were no age differences in in-group bias. Minority pupils
exhibit lower levels of bias, while majority members are
more prone to bias in the Croatian-Serbian and Croatian-
-Hungarian contexts. Furthermore, majority pupils are more
willing to express constructive, but also blind patriotism.