AI Article Synopsis
- Developmental intergroup theory suggests that highlighting social group memberships, like gender, leads children to develop increased stereotypes and biases.
- In a study with 57 children aged 3 to 5, researchers tested the effects of making gender more noticeable in their environment over 2 weeks.
- The results showed that in a high-gender salience environment, children's stereotypes and negative perceptions of the opposite sex increased, along with reduced interaction with other-sex peers, while their personal preferences remained unchanged.
Article Abstract
Developmental intergroup theory posits that when environments make social-group membership salient, children will be particularly likely to apply categorization processes to social groups, thereby increasing stereotypes and prejudices. To test the predicted impact of environmental gender salience, 3- to 5-year-old children (N = 57) completed gender attitude, intergroup bias, and personal preference measures at the beginning and end of a 2-week period during which teachers either did or did not make gender salient. Observations of peer play were also made at both times. After 2 weeks, children in the high- (but not low-) salience condition showed significantly increased gender stereotypes, less positive ratings of other-sex peers, and decreased play with other-sex peers. Children's own activity and occupational preferences, however, remained unaffected.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01510.x | DOI Listing |
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