Examining the Influence of Social Group Information on the Preferences of Hong Kong Chinese Children

• In Event: 2-071 - Diverse Perspectives: Pushing Developmental Research Beyond WEIRD Samples

Integrative Statement

Background: Young children attend to a wide range of information when interacting with potential informants to determine their trustworthiness. Importantly, the social groups to which children belong can exert a substantial influence on their preferences (Chen, Corriveau, & Harris, 2013). The present study examines the impact of social group information on decisions made by Hong Kong Chinese children, who—despite growing up in a racially homogenous society—often become familiar with other-race individuals, both at home and in school.

Hypotheses: First, the race hypothesis predicted that children, as members of the racial majority, would demonstrate a strong preference for ingroup individuals over outgroup individuals. Second, the status hypothesis predicted that children would show a stronger ingroup preference against a lower-status outgroup (i.e., Southeast Asian) compared to a higher-status outgroup (i.e., White). Third, the familiarity hypothesis predicted that children’s preferences would be impacted by their familiarity with outgroup members.

Method: Hong Kong Chinese children (N = 212; 105 female; mean age = 60.51 months, SD = 7.21 months; age range = 48-78 months) were recruited from local kindergartens (n = 110), which employ only Chinese teachers and instruct students in Cantonese, and international kindergartens (n = 102), which additionally employ Western teachers and provide English instruction. Children were either raised with a Southeast Asian domestic helper at home (n = 100) or not (n = 112). Participants completed two tasks. In the learning preferences task, they viewed eight videos, each depicting two informants (Chinese, White/Southeast Asian) who demonstrated conflicting uses for the same object, and decided from whom they preferred to learn. In the socializing preferences task, participants indicated with which of two individuals (Chinese, White/Southeast Asian) they preferred to socialize on eight trials. After each task, participants were asked (a) whether they recognized any group differences between the individual pairs; (b) whether they liked one individual more than the other; and (c) whether they thought they were more like one individual than the other.

Results & Discussion: Overall, children preferred to learn from the ingroup informant, t(211) = 2.75, p = .007, d = 0.38, and to socialize with the ingroup peer, t(211) = 8.54, p < .001, d = 1.18, over the outgroup individuals (Figure 1). Generalized linear mixed model analyses revealed that (a) for learning preferences, children showed a stronger ingroup preference when the comparison outgroup was Southeast Asian, F(1,418) = 9.53, p = .002, especially among older children, F(1,418) = 10.17, p = .002; and (b) for socializing preferences, older children displayed stronger ingroup preferences than younger children, F(1,419) = 4.65, p = .03, while children who attended local schools preferred ingroup members slightly more than international school children, F(1,419) = 3.37, p = .07. Finally, participants demonstrated a recognition of group differences, preference for ingroup members, and identification with ingroup individuals over their outgroup counterparts (Figure 2). Results suggest that although racial ingroup biases are robust at an early age, the specific experiences of young children have a substantial impact on their preferences as well.

Authors

• Eva E Chen, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  Presenting Author

• Kathleen Helen Corriveau, Boston University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Veronica K.W. Lai, Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sarah E. Gaither, Duke University
  Non-Presenting Author