Children’s Prejudice Toward Gender Non-Conformity

• In Event: Processes, correlates, and effects of gender-related stereotypes as they relate to aspects of gender identity.

Abstract

Many gender non-conforming (GNC) youth face social sanctions from their peers. Specific types of poor treatment ranges from lack of social acceptance to teasing, bullying, victimization, and social exclusion, to physical and sexual assault (GLSEN, 2016). This treatment can put GNC individuals at risk for poor academic, psychological, and physical health outcomes. Because of the prevalence and negative impact of aggressive and discriminatory acts toward GNC individuals, it is important to understand the motivations of perpetrators of gender expression-based aggression and discrimination. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify why children experience prejudice toward gender non-conforming peers.
In this study, I employed a theoretical approach traditionally used in social psychology – an evolutionary threat management framework (Schaller & Neuberg, 2012). This theory outlines particular types of threats humans are attuned to look for in our social environments, such as threats to the effective functioning of our social groups (e.g., threats to communication, cooperation, trust, shared goals and values). Because of the stereotypes associated with social norm violation, not following gender norms could be perceived as an indicator of having different values or goals, being less trustworthy than a social conformer, or inability to cooperate with one’s social group.

Research on this topic conducted with adults has explored potential threats related to the perceived association of gender non-conformity with sexuality or political ideology. However, children have no knowledge of these stereotypical associations; thus, there must be other reasons for their maltreatment of GNC peers. Specifically, I expected children to perceive greater social coordination (i.e., being harder to work with, being less likely to be a good friend to them) and values (i.e., having worse morality) threats from GNC individuals than from gender conforming individuals, and that these perceived threats would relate to their aggressive and exclusionary behaviors toward these peers.

Participants were 150 children (51% girls, Mage = 7.91 years, 50% White, 24% Latinx, 21% Black, 5% Native American) recruited from youth community centers (like the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA) in the Southwestern U.S. Children completed measures of threat perceptions (“How much do you think this person would be hard to work with?”), prejudices (“How much would you feel annoyed at this person?”), and behavioral inclinations (“How much do you want to keep this person from hanging out with your friends?”) toward gender conforming and GNC peers.

Preliminary RMANOVA results supported the proposed hypotheses; participants reported greater concerns about the ability to be friends with GNC peers, to work with them on school projects, felt more “annoyed” or “grossed out” by them, and were more likely to exclude or bully them.

These results enhance our understanding of the motivations behind children’s maltreatment of GNC peers. Children perceived GNC peers to be less compatible as friends and less cooperative as work partners, felt more negative emotions toward them, and were more likely to be aggressive and exclusionary toward them. Thus, interventions can address these specific perceptions of non-conformity.

Authors

• Rachel Cook, California State University - San Bernardino
  Presenting Author

• Carol Lynn Martin, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author