Judith Anne Griffiths

Effects of in-group and out-group ethnicity on children's attitudes towards members of the in-group and out-group

This study tested predictions drawn from social identity development theory (SIDT) (Nesdale, 1999a) concerning the development of young childrens ethnic attitudes. 5-7- and 9-year-old children ( N = 159) participated in a minimal group study in which they were assigned to a team which had higher drawing ability than a competitor team. The team members were revealed to be of the same (Anglo-Australian) vs. different (Pacific Islander) ethnicity (in-group ethnicity). The ethnicity of the competitor team was varied in the same way. The children subsequently rated their liking for, and similarity to, the in-group and the out-group, and the extent to which they wished to change groups. Children liked in-group members more than out-group members. Liking for in-group members was unaffected by the ethnic composition of the groups, but liking for outgroup members was reduced when the ethnic composition of the out-group differed from that of the in-group. Children felt most similar to same-group, same-ethnicity members and least similar to different ethnicity out-group members. The desire to change teams increased with age but there was no intention to align with same ethnicity individuals. The extent to which the findings provide support for SIDT is discussed.

Effects of peer group rejection and a new group's norms on children's intergroup attitudes

This study examined the effects of peer group rejection and a new groups norms on 7- and 9-year old childrens intergroup attitudes. Children (N = 82) were rejected or accepted by an initial group, then accepted by a new group that had a norm of inclusion versus exclusion towards others. Results showed that rejected compared with accepted children had a more negative attitude towards the initial group, that they were equally positive towards their new group, but that the rejected children were more negative towards an outgroup. Results also revealed an age x target group x group norm effect that indicated that the younger childrens attitudes towards the three groups were more negative in the exclusion versus acceptance norm condition. The older children were also more negative towards the initial and new groups in the exclusion condition, but their more positive attitudes towards the outgroup were unaffected by the group norms. The bases of the effects of peer group rejection and group norms are discussed.

Effects of group membership, intergroup competition and out-group ethnicity on children's ratings of in-group and out-group similarity and positivity

Based on self-categorization theory (SCT; Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987), this study examined the extent to which 7- and 10-year-old childrens perceptions of similarity to, and positivity towards, their in-group would be increased by factors predicted to enhance the salience of in-group–out-group categorizations. In a minimal group study, participants met the in-group before or after the out-group (group timing), the out-group had the same or different ethnicity as the in-group (out-group ethnicity), and there was or was not to be a competition between the in-group and the out-group (intergroup competition). Ratings of the in-group similarity were influenced by the out-group ethnicity, but not by group timing or intergroup competition. Consistent with SCT, participants rated themselves as more similar to the in-group when the out-group had different vs. the same ethnicity. SCTs predictions concerning in-group positivity were not confirmed. Instead, participants rated the in-group more positively than the out-group and the in-group was rated more positively, when participants met the in-group before rather than after the out-group. Older compared with younger participants were also more prepared to change groups when the out-group had different ethnicity. The implications for SCT are discussed.