INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN’S EXPLANATIONS OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY
Location
SU-103
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Social inequalities can be understood through two types of explanations: external and internal. External explanations imply that inequalities are due to structural factors whereas internal explanations imply that inequalities are due to inherent factors. Prior research indicates that internal explanations of inequality contribute to the development of problematic beliefs, such as stereotyping and prejudice toward marginalized groups. This study examines how cognitive individual differences (inhibitory control and cognitive reflection) and sociocultural individual differences (SES and ethnicity) contribute to children’s explanations of racial and gender inequality. We interviewed a diverse group of 156 children aged 5-to-12 via Zoom (data collection on-going) and presented them with a racial and gender inequality task. In this task, children had to pick between an external and internal explanation of a social inequality (e.g., a white child living in a nicer house than a black child). We also measured children’s inhibitory control (ability to inhibit a first response), cognitive reflection (analytic thinking), socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. We predict children with higher inhibitory control, cognitive reflection, and socioeconomic status will prefer external (over interval) explanations of racial and gender inequality. We also predict ethnic background will influence children’s explanations of inequality. These results will help us better understand individual differences related to children’s explanations of inequality. Further, they may help us identify methods to increase external/systemic explanations of inequality and reduce social bias and prejudice.
Faculty Sponsor
Andrew Young
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN’S EXPLANATIONS OF SOCIAL INEQUALITY
SU-103
Social inequalities can be understood through two types of explanations: external and internal. External explanations imply that inequalities are due to structural factors whereas internal explanations imply that inequalities are due to inherent factors. Prior research indicates that internal explanations of inequality contribute to the development of problematic beliefs, such as stereotyping and prejudice toward marginalized groups. This study examines how cognitive individual differences (inhibitory control and cognitive reflection) and sociocultural individual differences (SES and ethnicity) contribute to children’s explanations of racial and gender inequality. We interviewed a diverse group of 156 children aged 5-to-12 via Zoom (data collection on-going) and presented them with a racial and gender inequality task. In this task, children had to pick between an external and internal explanation of a social inequality (e.g., a white child living in a nicer house than a black child). We also measured children’s inhibitory control (ability to inhibit a first response), cognitive reflection (analytic thinking), socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. We predict children with higher inhibitory control, cognitive reflection, and socioeconomic status will prefer external (over interval) explanations of racial and gender inequality. We also predict ethnic background will influence children’s explanations of inequality. These results will help us better understand individual differences related to children’s explanations of inequality. Further, they may help us identify methods to increase external/systemic explanations of inequality and reduce social bias and prejudice.