Whose Norms, Whose Prejudice? The Dynamics of Perceived Group Norms and Prejudice in New Secondary School Classes

Abstract

Ethnic prejudice can lead to exclusion and hinder social integration. Prejudices are formed throughout socialization, and social norms inform individuals about the acceptability of prejudice against certain outgroups. Adolescence is a crucial period for the development of intergroup attitudes, and young people are especially prone to follow the norms they perceive in their reference groups. At the same time, the effect of perceived norms on prejudice in school classes has been rarely studied. In Hungary, where prejudice against the Roma is widespread and there is no clear social norm proscribing prejudiced manifestations, this topic is especially relevant. In the present paper, based on multi-level analyses of panel data from Hungarian ninth-graders, we find that adolescents adjust their attitudes to those they perceive to be dominant among their classmates and that classmates serve as more important reference groups than teachers do. More contact with Roma is found to be associated with less prejudice against them. Looking at school classes, we find that at the beginning of the school year, many students underestimate the rejection of prejudiced expressions in their classes. By the end of the year, many students are found to adjust their own attitudes to the falsely perceived class norm. Based on our findings, we argue that school classes should be treated as important normative contexts for the socialization of intergroup attitudes and should receive special attention from both scholars and practitioners working in the fields of prejudice research and reduction. Furthermore, we suggest that teachers can most successfully hinder prejudices by working on a common, visible, shared class norm rather than “teaching” students that prejudices are not acceptable.

All together now: Cooperative classroom climate and the development of youth attitudes toward immigrants

“…Research on school factors related to prejudice has focused on the role of classroom ethnic diversity (Dejaeghere, Hooghe, & Claes, 2012), multicultural curriculum (Banks, 2005), educational tracks (Coenders & Scheepers, 2003), peer attitudes (Miklikowska, 2017), and classroom norms (Váradi, 2014; Váradi, Barna, & Németh, 2021). Although cooperative classroom climate has been shown to have positive consequences for students’ adjustment (Schachner, Noack, van de Vijver, & Eckstein, 2016; Thijs, Keim, & Geerlings, 2018) and pro‐social behavior (Johnson, 2003; Roseth, Johnson, & Johnson, 2008), research on cooperative classroom climate in relation to prejudice is scarce.…”

Like the cool kids? The role of popular classmates in the development of anti-immigrant attitudes in adolescence

“…While previous research convincingly demonstrates that classmates influence how prejudice develops in adolescence (Miklikowska et al, 2021;Mitchell, 2019;Váradi et al, 2021), the literature on social influence also suggests that ability to influence others varies between group members. According to the literature on referent informational influence (Abrams & Hogg, 1990;Hogg & Smith, 2007), individuals form an understanding of what is situationally normative by observing and interacting with other group members.…”

“…In line with these perspectives, previous empirical research demonstrates how adolescents follow perceived norms and try to match their behavior and attitudes with norms accepted by their reference group (Jasinskaja-Lahti et al, 2011; Knoll et al, 2015). Perceived group norms can, in this sense, shift youths’ stereotypic attitudes and behavior (Sechrist & Stangor, 2001; Stangor et al, 2001; Wittenbrink & Henly, 1996), as they internalize prejudice (or the opposite) to connect with their social group, including with their classmates (Miklikowska et al, 2021; Váradi et al, 2021). Taken together, the literature on social influence points to various ways that classmates may influence each other’s attitudes: by providing information about what is correct and true, about what it takes to be liked by others, and about what it implies to be a group member.…”

“…Yet other studies point to classmates’ attitudes as an important source of prejudice (Miklikowska et al, 2021; Paluck, 2011). Adolescents’ intergroup attitudes reflect positions and perceptions among their classmates (Thijs & Verkuyten, 2011, 2013), and being part of a prejudiced class also increases prejudice over time, as individuals adjust their attitudes to be in line with perceived (Váradi et al, 2021) or actual classroom norms (Mitchell, 2019).…”

Discurso de odio en educación secundaria: efectos intelectuales y emocionales

“…Los factores que motivan a los estudiantes para perpetrar en discursos de odio no tienen un cause preestablecido, siendo en la mayoría de los casos fortuitos. Pero, si existen estudios que muestran la relevancia de las normas sociales para explicar el comportamiento desviado y los prejuicios de los adolescentes en la escuela (Váradi et al, 2021). A pesar de esto, aún no se ha investigado si las normas sociales también se relacionan con las motivaciones de los adolescentes para perpetrar discurso de odio; se perciben solo en su exteriorización en actos de discriminación, hostilidad y violencia, que muchas veces podrían provocar actos atroces que podrían acabar, inclusive con la vida de las personas.…”