The Development of Subjective Group Dynamics: Children's Judgments of Normative and Deviant In‐Group and Out‐Group Individuals

Abstract

A developmental model of subjective group dynamics suggests that social identity is sustained first by intergroup biases and later by intragroup biases. In this study 476 English children 5 to 11 years old evaluated the English and German soccer teams, and judged in-group or out-group members whose attitudes toward the teams was normative versus antinormative. Children of all ages expressed intergroup bias. Differential evaluation against in-group deviants and in favor of out-group deviants strengthened with age. Understanding of targets' relative acceptability (differential inclusion) among in-group and out-group members mediated the effects of age and intergroup bias on intragroup bias. Identification with the in-group moderated the effects only among older children.

Development of the positive–negative asymmetry effect: in‐group exclusion norm as a mediator of children's evaluations on negative attributes

“…It is important to note also that we have done so with measures that tapped evaluations of liking for in-group and out-group separately. Nonetheless, this quadratic trend in national intergroup bias is consistent with previous studies of national intergroup attitudes (e.g., Abrams et al, 2003a;Bennett et al, 1998;Rutland, 1999;Verkuyten, 2001) and the self-presentational account of prejudice development (Rutland, 2004;, which would predict an increase in national intergroup bias during early adolescence.…”

“…It involved a trait evaluation task which was used to assess attitudes towards the British in-group and the German out-group (Takriti, Buchanan-Barrow, & Barrett, 2000). Germans were chosen as the outgroup since previous research suggests that within Britain they are salient comparison group (Mummendey, Klink, & Brown, 2001;Rutland & Cinnirella, 2000) and British children often hold relatively negative attitudes towards Germans (Abrams et al, 2003a;Barrett & Short, 1992;Johnson, 1973;Rutland, 1999).…”

“…Interestingly, however, there are various examples of research on children's national intergroup attitudes indicating that children in early adolescence can still show intergroup bias (e.g., Abrams et al, 2003a;Bennett et al, 1998;Rutland, 1999;Tajfel, Nemeth, Jahoda, Campbell, & Johnson, 1970;Verkuyten, 2001Verkuyten, , 2003Teichman, 2001). This finding could be explained by a self-presentational account, since found that when 10-to 12-year-old children were made publicly self-conscious they moderated their expression of national intergroup.…”

“…However, significantly they did not inhibit their explicit bias, rather heightened public self-focus only acted to increase national ingroup bias. This suggests that while early adolescents may be aware of a generic or moral norm against discrimination their intergroup attitudes, in the context of a salient intergroup rivalry between Germany and Britain (see Abrams et al, 2003a;Barrett, Wilson, & Lyons, 2003;Rutland, 1999Rutland, , 2004, may be affected by a specific ideological or social-conventional norm that legitimizes national intergroup bias (Amiot & Bourhis, 2003, 2005aKillen & Stangor, 2001;Rutland, 1999).…”

“…In line with existing research on intergroup attitudes (see Aboud, 1988;Brown, 1995) it is predicted that intergroup bias will decline significantly from 7 years of age. However, based upon previous studies of national intergroup attitudes (e.g., Abrams et al, 2003a;Bennett et al, 1998;Rutland, 1999;Verkuyten, 2001) and the self-presentational account of prejudice development (Rutland, 2004;, it is expected that intergroup bias will show a quadratic trend with an increase again in early adolescence.…”