WHO FEARS THE “OUTSIDERS”? THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT, ETHNICITY, AND ECONOMIC STRATA ON XENOPHOBIC ATTITUDES AMONG RESIDENTS OF IBADAN METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Xenophobia has attracted increasing scholarly attention because of its implications for social cohesion and peaceful coexistence in multi-ethnic societies. The present study examined the influence of social support, ethnicity, and socio-economic indicators (academic qualification, employment type, and income level) on xenophobic attitudes among residents of Ibadan metropolis. A cross-sectional survey design was used and data were collected through a stratified convenience sample of 387 residents from two Local Government Areas within Ibadan Metropolis. Multiple regression analysis showed that the predictors jointly accounted for 21% of the variance in xenophobic attitudes (R² = .21, F(4,382) = 24.66, p < .001). Social support was significantly associated with xenophobic attitudes (β = .40, p < .001), while higher income (β = −.10, p = .036) and formal employment/entrepreneurship (β = −.19, p < .001) were associated with lower xenophobic attitudes. Academic qualification was not a significant predictor (β = −.01, p  > .05). The three social support domains jointly accounted for 27% of the variance  in xenophobic attitudes (R² = .27, F(3,383) = 77.63, p < .001). Disaggregating them revealed that friend support positively predicted xenophobic attitudes (β = .44, p < .001), while family support was a significant negative predictor (β = −.19, p < .005).  Support from significant others was not a significant predictor (p > .05). One-way ANOVA indicated significant differences across income groups, with the lowest income earners reporting higher xenophobia. Unemployed participants also reported significantly higher xenophobic attitudes than those employed or running businesses. Ethnicity showed only a marginal effect among Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, and Yoruba groups. The findings indicate differential associations for social support (friend support positively associated; family support negatively associated) and underscore the importance of economic factors in relation to xenophobic attitudes in this sample. Interventions should consider economic empowerment and peer network norms while strengthening family-based protective factors

Keywords: Xenophobia; Social Support; Income Level; Ethnicity; Ibadan Metropolis.