Lecture 12 Flashcards
What type of prejudice do children typically exhibit: Ingroup favouritism or outgroup derogation?
Ingroup favourtism. Children are pretty neutral to the outgroup, which can still lead to negative consequences. Most children think “What is similar to me is good” but not “What is dissimilar is bad”
When does ingroup favouritism develop?
Around aged 5.
What is outgroup derogation?
Strong, negative feelings towards the outgroup.
What was the study by Aboud done on childrens ingroup favouritism?
White participants were given 3 boxes each with pictures of different children: white, black, and indigenous. Children asked about adjectives and were asked to put pics in the box that matches the child (ex: naughty. Which child is naughty?), Children had options to place in multiple boxes or only 1. If there were more positive than negative attitudes, that represents a bias towards that childs group. More negative than positive indicates derogation of group.
What were the result of Aboud’s study?
Ingroup evaluations: 5-6 year olds demonstrated ingroup favouritism, under 5 did not.
Outgroup: no bias demonstrated among any group.
What was Clark and Clark’s study done on outgroup favouritism among minority children?
Doll preference. Asked children questions like which doll is nice? Which would you play with? Black children preferred white dolls and rejected black dolls. Group favouritism depends on the society you live in.
What was Spence’s study done on outgroup favouritism among minority children?
133 black and white children were shown 5 drawings of children: skin colour ranged from dark to light. The instructions were to show me the dumb, mean, smart child etc.
What were the results of Spence et als study?
White children: associated light children with positive adjectives, and dark children with negative. Black children also showed a (not as strong) bias favouring whiteness. No difference between 4-5 and 9-10 year olds.
What was the study done by Hamlin et al on infants and outgroup derogation?
9-14 month olds, where the infant either prefers green beans or graham crackers. Watch a puppet show where 1 character prefers green beans and one prefers graham crackers. The second show demonstrates that either similar or dissimilar puppet needs help. Other character he’s or harms. Infant can then either play with the helper or the harmer.
What were the results of Hamlin et als study?
Both 9-14 month olds preferred the helper puppet (helping the similar character) over the one that harmed. Both also preferred the character that harmed the dissimilar puppet over the one that helped.
What is the prejudice “Drop off?”
Prejudice peaks around aged 5-7 and then drops off. Why? Children at that age do not understand perspective OR maybe its about social desirability (explicit drops off, implicit remains).
What was Dunham et al’s study on implicit attitudes across the lifespan?
Participants: Children aged 3-14 and adults (18+). Measured: Guess the race of the ambiguous face, faces are either happy or angry. Do emotional expressions sway participants guesses towards one race or another?
What were the results of Dunham et al’s study?
White americans are more likely to characterize angry faces as black and Asia. Results did not differ with age. Tawainese participants were more likely to classify angry faces as white. Black: angry faces characterized as both black and white equally.
Why are some children prejudiced?
Genes, cognitive development, and socialization
How are genes related to prejudice?
Prejudice has genetic components (eg: RWA and conservatism). If parents are higher, then children are too (prejudice is 50% heritable).
What was the study by Verweij et al on genes and prejudice?
Took 4269 pairs of twins. Completed measures of homophobia, then assess resemblance between mono and dizygotic twins. Statistical modelling to see if prejudice was genetic or environmental.
