Predicting interethnic bridging social capital in youth ethnic-diversity engagement: the role of interethnic interaction and intercultural sensitivity

Abstract

In this study, the authors examined the relationships between interethnic interaction, intercultural sensitivity and interethnic bridging social capital among students of different ethnicities at a Malaysian public university. Results of the regression analysis on data from 447 self-administered questionnaires revealed that while interethnic interaction and intercultural sensitivity are significantly correlated with interethnic bridging social capital at the bivariate level, only intercultural sensitivity has a direct relationship and significantly predicts interethnic bridging social capital. The finding underscores the role of intercultural sensitivity on interethnic bridging social capital development through ethnic diversity engagement.

Keywords

• interethnic bridging social capital
• interethnic interaction
• intercultural sensitivity
• youth engagement
• undergraduates
• Malaysia