A Study on Minority Influence in the Context of Majority-Minority Intergroup Relations in Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study was an attempt to conduct empirical investigation on minority influence in the context of majority-minority intergroup relations in Bangladesh. In addition, internal-external locus of control and conservatisn1-rad ical ism was tested. In order to test the minority influence processes, several theories of minority influence were elaborately discussed. These were (1)Moscovici's Theory of Conversion Behaviour; (2) Latane's Social Impact Theory; (3) Social Impact Model of Tanford and Penrod; (4) Tajfel's Theory of Social Identity; and (5) Model of Single Versus Double Minorities proposed by Maass and Clark. The main objective of the study was to conduct an empirical investigation on majority-minority influence processes of Bengali Muslims and Hindus as related to gender differentiation and residential background. The specific objectives of this study are given below: 1. To provide operational definition of minority influence processes in the study of majority-minority intergroup relations. 2. To highlight the theoretical explanation of minority influence processes in perspectives of intergroup relations of majority-minority intergroup behaviour. 3. To attempt a comprehensive review of empirical study relating to minority influence processes. 4. To conceptualize key words of minority influence processes in relation to social identity, own group minority, out group minority, double minority, negotiation, consistency, rigidity and behavioural style. 5. To reflect on majority-minority influence processes in relation to Muslim-Hindu intergroup relationship. 6. To study minority influence processes involving gender and residential background. 7. To study personality variable in terms of internal­external control of Muslims and Hindus as related to gender and residential background. 8. To study ideological preference in terms of conservatism-radicalism of Bengali Muslims as majority group and Bengali Hindus as minority group in relation to their gender differences and residential background. A total of 240 respondents constituted the sample of the study. They were equally divided into Bengali Muslims and Bengali Hindus. Each group was again equally divided into males and females. Each category of male and female was again equally subdivided into urban and rural according to their residential background. The study used three instruments for data collection. These were (1) Minority Influence Test (MIT), (2) Internal­External Control Scale (I-E Control Scale) and (3) Conservatism-Radicalism Scale (C-R Scale). A 2x2x2 factorial design consisting of two levels of group composition (majority/minority), two levels of gender (Male/Female) and two levels of residents (Urban/Rural). The study used three specific hypotheses. These are stated below:……………………………