children, prejudice and discrimination

Question 1

early thoughts of researchers on prejudice and discrimination

Answer 1

• in the early 20th c. social scientists maintained that prejudices were inborn, they believed children recognized differences and did not like people who were different
• researchers found that prejudice was not inherent and instinctive

Question 2

3 possible stages of prejudice

Answer 2

1. racial awareness
2. racial identification
3. racial preferences

Question 3

experiments done to determine social awareness

Answer 3

• in 1940’s experiments were done to evaluate the extent of consciousness of skin colour of children between 3-7
• children were shown dolls of different skin colours
• children were asked to bring a doll in answer to certain requests e.g. “bring me the coloured doll”
• racial awareness is identified at a very young age
• children reacted with a strong awareness of skin colour
• there is confusion with children who are mixed as they can be identified as white but are viewed as black by society

Question 4

racial identification

Answer 4

researchers wonder if children can identify themselves in racial terms
-researchers laid out different ethnic dolls and asked children to pick out the one that looked most like them
2/3 of the children chose the right doll, older children were more correct than the younger
-fair skin black children had more difficulty choosing the brown doll as identifying with them than black children of medium or dark brown

Question 5

racial preference

Answer 5

• researchers believe that a child gradually learns what status the society accords to their group
• the affect of awareness and identification resulting in the recognition of a societal preference in regards to the status of the group is more clear towards black children
• black children understood that white children were the preferred race in society