Effects of ethnocentrism and online interethnic interactions on interethnic bridging social capital among university students: The moderating role of ethnicity

Abstract The development of interethnic bridging social capital in societies with ethnic diversity is quite challenging when ethnicity is considered an obstacle. Individuals in Malaysian “ethnocratic state” may have their own exclusive ways of interpreting other ethnics. These attitudes may prevent them from effective interaction with people of different ethnic groups. This study examines the relationship between ethnocentrism and interethnic bridging social capital, the mediating role of online interethnic interactions, and also the moderating effect of ethnicity on this relationship. A total of 343 Malaysian undergraduates (200 Malays, 105 Chinese, and 38 Indians) from two public universities participated in a self-administered survey. Using structural equation modeling analysis, a negative relationship between ethnocentrism and interethnic bridging social capital was found. Also, the results supported the mediating role of online interethnic interactions and the moderating effect of ethnicity on this relationship. The study revealed that in a diverse community, ethnocentrism prevents online interethnic interactions; while virtual interethnic interactions contributes to interethnic bridging social capital. Moreover, minority Indians showed higher interest to be part of multiethnic environments compared with the Malays and Chinese ethnic groups.