UNDERSTANDING RESIDENTIAL SATISFACTION: THE ROLE OF LIVING ARRANGEMENT, INGROUP IDENTIFICATION, SEGREGATIONISM AND ETHNIC PROTECTION

Abstract

As globalization advances, many individuals are seeking not only work, but also academic opportunities overseas. Singapore remains a popular destination for international students due to its reputation for providing high quality education. As a result, many university residence halls housed not only local students but provided accommodation for many international students as well. However, relatively little research has examined the effect of intergroup contact on residential satisfaction, particularly in the context of Singapore. To address this gap, the present study examined three pathways that investigated various dispositional and situational variables in predicting residential satisfaction. Living arrangements were investigated as a moderator between ingroup identification and residential satisfaction, while segregationism and ethnic protection were investigated as mediators. The findings revealed that segregationism and ethnic protection did not mediate the relationship, but ingroup identification is positively related to segregationism and ethnic protection — consistent with past research. Living arrangement, however, did not moderate the relationship. Possible explanations and implications of our results and limitations and future directions are discussed. Overall, the present research advances our understanding on how residential satisfaction is influenced by various dispositional and situational factors, while providing practical insights for policy makers who are interested in improving intergroup relationships.