Antiprejudice norms and ethnic attitudes in preadolescents: A matter of stimulating the “right reasons”

Abstract

The present study examined the effects of antiprejudice norms on children’s ethnic attitudes by taking their antiprejudice motivations into account. In a sample of 767 native Dutch preadolescents we found evidence for both an internal and an external motivation to be nonprejudiced which were, respectively, positively versus negatively related to children’s out-group attitudes. Overall, children’s norm perceptions were linked to more positive ethnic attitudes, and this relation was partly explained by their internal antiprejudice motivation. Some normative aspects were found be less effective (moral rule to be nice and honest) than others (equality message) by stimulating an external motivation rather than undermining it and stimulating an internal one. Distinguishing between different normative sources further showed that parents and peers were more influential than teachers. Our findings underline the importance of including motivations in research on norms and out-group attitudes.

Tolerance, Dissenting Beliefs, and Cultural Diversity

“…Recent research also demonstrates that tolerance implies accepting dissenting practices when this acceptance stems from internal not external reasons. For example, children as young as 7 years understand the difference between having external and internal reasons for out‐group attitudes (Hughes, Alo, Krieger, & O’Leary, 2016; Jargon & Thijs, 2020). External reasons include the desire to conform to social norms and avoid disapproval, while internal reasons stem from personal beliefs about equality, harm, and fairness.…”

“…External reasons include the desire to conform to social norms and avoid disapproval, while internal reasons stem from personal beliefs about equality, harm, and fairness. Internal reasons tend to be associated more strongly and consistently with out‐group acceptance than external reasons, which indicates that promoting the “right reasons” for out‐group acceptance is important (Hughes et al, 2016; Jargon & Thijs, 2020).…”

“…This might stimulate the development of reasons based on an intrinsic motivation to care about the equality of people. In a study of 7‐ to 12‐year‐olds, egalitarian and equality messages stimulated self‐endorsed reasons for accepting out‐groups, whereas explicit prosocial prescriptions (e.g., “You should be nice and honest to people from other groups”) led to concerns about social sanctions and compliance (Jargon & Thijs, 2020). In addition to the role of schools, researchers should examine whether and how peers and parents affect children’s tolerance of dissenting beliefs and practices.…”

Group Identity and Ingroup Bias: The Social Identity Approach

“…Furthermore, research demonstrates that children as young as 7 years understand the difference between having external and internal reasons for outgroup attitudes (Hughes et al, 2016;Jargon & Thijs, 2020). External reasons entail the desire to conform to social norms and avoid social disapproval, while internal reasons stem from moral beliefs about equality, harm and fairness.…”

Parallel empathy and group attitudes in late childhood: The role of perceived peer group attitudes

“…Empathy is a marker of socio-emotional development (Eisenberg & Fabes, 1990) and, both older children and girls have been found to be more empathic than younger children and boys (Eisenberg et al, 2006). At the same time research has found both positive and negative changes in children's ethnic attitudes during early adolescence (for a meta-analysis, see Raabe & Beelmann, 2011), and more outgroup positivity among girls versus boys (Jargon & Thijs, 2020).…”