The present research examines how perceived inclusive and exclusive peer norms for cross‐ethnic relations contribute to predicting interest in cross‐ethnic friendship among ethnic minority and majority children. Across two survey studies, European American and African American children (Study 1) and European American and Latino American children (Study 2) reported on the extent to which they perceived inclusive and exclusive peer norms for cross‐ethnic relations, as well as their own interest in developing cross‐ethnic friendships. Results from both studies showed that perceiving inclusive norms for cross‐ethnic relations from in‐group peers uniquely predicted children's interest in cross‐group friendships, beyond what can be accounted for by perceiving exclusive norms from in‐group peers and preexisting cross‐group friendships. Similar effects were observed for ethnic minority and majority children, and even after controlling for children's prior cross‐group friendships. Implications of these findings for future research and efforts to promote inclusion among ethnic minority and majority children are discussed.

This research tests how perceived school and peer norms predict interethnic experiences among ethnic minority and majority youth. With studies in Chile (654 nonindigenous and 244 Mapuche students, M = 11.20 and 11.31 years) and the United States (468 non-Hispanic White and 126 Latino students, M = 11.66 and 11.68 years), cross-sectional results showed that peer norms predicted greater comfort in intergroup contact, interest in cross-ethnic friendships, and higher contact quality, whereas longitudinal results showed that school norms predicted greater interest in cross-ethnic friendships over time. Distinct effects of school and peer norms were also observed for ethnic minority and majority youth in relation to perceived discrimination, suggesting differences in how they experience cross-ethnic relations within school environments.

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questions of why people seek out intergroup contact, and what can be done to encourage their interest in intergroup contact, are less well understood (see Gómez, Tropp, & Fernandez, 2011; Pettigrew & Tropp, 2011). A growing number of studies suggest that people find navigation of intergroup contact challenging: Group members on both sides are concerned about confirming negative stereotypes (e.g., Goff, Davies, Steele, 2008; Shapiro, 2011), doubt their efficacy in meeting the demands of intergroup contexts (Butz & Plant, 2006), worry about being devalued and rejected, or presenting themselves in an unfavorable light (Crocker & Garcia, 2006; Shelton, Richeson, & Vorauer,

We propose that the goals people have in cross-group interactions contribute to the discomfort they feel and that by shifting goals, people may not only reduce their discomfort and avoidance of cross-group interactions but may be better equipped to create positive relationships across group boundaries. We distinguish between two motivational systems underlying these goals: an egosystem, in which people focus on their own desires and needs; and an ecosystem, in which people recognize their connection to others. We then describe two sets of goals associated with each system and consider how a goals framework can inform strategies and interventions to improve relations between groups.