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Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614110315708417 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Pieske, Maya Sophia |
| author2 | Swart, Hermann |
| author_browse | Pieske, Maya Sophia Swart, Hermann |
| author_facet | Swart, Hermann Pieske, Maya Sophia |
| author_sort | Pieske, Maya Sophia |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135936 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:46:49.940Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135936 Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans Pieske, Maya Sophia Swart, Hermann Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology. Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Pieske, M. S. 2026. Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/e710c2f2-a50b-4000-b264-eca61c818520 Across the globe, societies face persistent social fragmentation, inequalities, and intergroup conflict, which can undermine social cohesion, and subjective well-being (SWB). In South Africa, these challenges are intensified by the enduring legacy of apartheid, resulting in structural divisions and inequalities along racial lines. Positive intergroup contact has been identified as a potential avenue to enhance both social cohesion and SWB. Therefore, it presents a potential key predictor in addressing these challenges. Yet little is known about its psychological benefits or the mechanisms through which these effects occur. By exploring the relationships between positive intergroup contact, cross-group friendship, and ingroup contact, and their associations with SWB, with a particular focus on the mediating role of social isolation and loneliness, this study contributes valuable insights to understanding how social contact can foster well-being in South Africa. Using a nationally representative secondary dataset of South African adults (N = 3,130), bivariate and structural equation modelling analyses were conducted to examine these relationships. The primary aim was to investigate whether positive intergroup contact, cross-group friendships, and ingroup contact are associated with higher SWB. The secondary aim was to explore whether feelings of social isolation and loneliness mediate these associations. Both hypotheses could be partially accepted. Findings indicate that positive intergroup contact and cross-group friendships are positively associated with SWB, with cross-group friendship showing the strongest correlation with SWB; whereas ingroup contact shows no significant relationship with SWB. Moreover, loneliness mediates the relationship between positive intergroup contact. In the context of cross-group friendship, the mediation effect was only significant in bivariate analyses, and there was no mediation in regard to ingroup contact and SWB. The findings underscore the relevance of intergroup contact for fostering social cohesion and subjective well-being in diverse, post-conflict societies. The study provides empirical support for considering loneliness as a mechanism linking intergroup contact to psychological benefits, highlighting the potential value of interventions that promote meaningful intergroup engagement in South Africa. Masters 2026-04-15T12:50:03Z 2026-04-15T12:50:03Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135936 en Stellenbosch University 159 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Pieske, Maya Sophia Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans |
| title | Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans |
| title_full | Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans |
| title_short | Investigating the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact and Subjective Well-Being among South Africans |
| title_sort | investigating the relationship between intergroup contact and subjective well being among south africans |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135936 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT pieskemayasophia investigatingtherelationshipbetweenintergroupcontactandsubjectivewellbeingamongsouthafricans |