Abstract:

Debates surrounding multiculturalism have intensified in recent decades, with strong opposition emerging both in political discourse and academic scholarship. While some scholars view multicultural education as essential for democratic inclusion, critics argue that it undermines social cohesion and shared civic identity. Despite this polarization, relatively little research has examined the dispositional foundations of support for, or opposition to, multicultural models of schooling. The present study investigates whether personality-related self-identification is associated with acceptance of the model of multicultural school and multicultural society among prospective secondary school teachers.

A sample of 262 pre-service secondary school Greek teachers completed measures assessing endorsement of multiculturalism alongside a series of bipolar personality orientations (e.g., traditionalist–innovation-oriented, religious–secular, ethnocentric–cosmopolitan, trusting–reserved, family-centered–questioning conventions, content with less–aspirational). Results indicate that acceptance of multiculturalism is selectively associated with value- and worldview-related dispositions. Participants identifying as more innovation-oriented, secular, cosmopolitan, trusting, and inclined to question social conventions demonstrated stronger endorsement of multicultural models. In contrast, personality orientations such as loneliness, pessimism, self-efficacy, and general life satisfaction did not significantly differentiate levels of multicultural acceptance.

These findings suggest that support for multiculturalism is rooted less in general psychological well-being or affective states and more in broader normative and identity-related orientations. The results contribute to the literature by highlighting the dispositional underpinnings of attitudes toward multicultural education within a population poised to shape future classroom environments. Implications for teacher education and the broader debate on multiculturalism are discussed.

The findings have practical implications for teacher education. Because support for multicultural schooling is not merely a matter of emotional disposition but of deeper normative orientation, professional training should engage explicitly with questions of cultural identity, normativity, and pluralism. Reflective dialogue, exposure to intercultural contact, and critical examination of national narratives may be particularly important in fostering openness to multicultural models.

Keywords:

Multiculturalism, traditionalism, ethnocentrism, cosmopolitanism, cultural diversity, teacher education.