Young children form generalized attitudes based on a single encounter with an outgroup member. Issue 3 (29th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Chengfei; Qian, Miao; Amemiya, Jamie; Fu, Genyue; Lee, Kang; Heyman, Gail D.
• Is Part Of: Developmental science. Volume 25:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-11-29
• Subjects: explicit racial attitude -- implicit racial attitude -- in‐person interaction -- intergroup contact -- young children; Developmental psychology -- Periodicals; Psychology, Comparative -- Periodicals; 155
• DOI: 10.1111/desc.13191
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1363-755X

Abstract

Abstract: The goal of the present research was to assess whether children's first interaction with a single outgroup member can significantly impact their general attitudes toward the outgroup as a whole. In two preregistered studies, 5‐ to 6‐year‐old Chinese children (total N = 147) encountered a Black adult from another country for the very first time, and they played a game together. General attitudes toward the outgroup were assessed using both implicit and explicit measures. In both studies, the interaction resulted in less negative explicit attitudes toward Black people, but more negative implicit attitudes. The results demonstrate for the first time that one encounter with a single outgroup member can impact children's general attitudes toward that group, and that it can have differential effects on implicit and explicit attitudes. Abstract : Preschool‐age children experienced their first in‐person interaction with a member of an outgroup. This resulted in less negative explicit attitudes toward the outgroup but more negative implicit attitudes.