Children's Intergroup Preferences at the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity, Gender, Gender Expression, and Social Class

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 1:45 pm
  In Poster Session: Research Exploring Contextual Influences across the Lifespan: Grounded in Theories of Human Development

Abstract

This study investigated elementary school children’s intersectional intergroup preferences. Children (N=174) in 2nd through 5th grades were presented with a picture of a hypothetical classroom populated by 32 bitmojis that varied by race/ethnicity (Black, White, Latina/o, Asian), gender (boy, girl), gender typicality (conforming, non-conforming), and social class (high/low). Children were asked to select 10 bitmojis to include and 5 bitmojis to exclude from the hypothetical classroom. Irrespective of grade level, children showed complex patterns of intersectional intergroup preferences associated with bitmojis’ gender, gender expression, race/ethnicity, and social class in their inclusion and exclusion judgments. Our study makes conceptual and methodological contributions emphasizing the importance of examining intergroup preferences intersectionally. Implications for theory and methods are discussed.

Authors

• Negin Ghavami, Loyola Marymount University

• Dzorgbenyui Adzo Gbagbo, Loyola Marymount University

• Colson Lee, Loyola Marymount University

• Ryan Anderson, Loyola Marymount University

• Sandra Graham, University of California - Los Angeles