Two Peas in a Pod: White Parents’ Values Predicting Children’s Cross-race Friendships

• In Event: The direct roles of parents and teachers as socialization agents for dominant ideologies

Abstract

According to intergroup contact theory and research, out-of-group friendships are crucial to decreasing prejudice and increasing prosocial behavior (Allport, 1954; Marinucci et al., 2021). Although many studies have examined the benefits of cross-race friendships, most have focused solely on school-based contexts and on adolescents (Qi et al., 2022); despite parents being a core parent of children’s racial socialization, little research has examined how parents influence their children’s friend choices by race, particularly in White families and for young children (Loyd & Gaither, 2018). Further, how parents’ explicit messages and internal values influence children’s out-of-group friendships is understudied (Bagci et al. 2020). Considering the power and privilege of White families in the U.S., understanding cross-race friendship development could provide insight in uncovering racism against BIPOC families and illuminate ways to promote intergroup harmony. Consequently, this study aimed to examine if White American parents’ own cross-race friendships, racial diversity values, and explicit racial messages relate to children’s cross-race friendships.
All 188 children (54% female, age range 5.4 – 8.91 yrs, M=7.09, SD=.94) and primary parents were White, non-Hispanic, and recruited from two U.S. metropolitan areas (Southwest, n = 99; Northeast, n = 91). Parents reported their children’s and own four closest friends with demographic information which was then recoded into a binary variable (0= at least one close BIPOC friend, 1 = all White friends). Predictors included parents’ racial diversity values related to children’s friendships (Martin, 2014), parents’ explicit colorblind racial messages (Hughes et al., 2006), and parents’ own cross-race friendships. Controls included racial diversity of area (e.g., child’s classroom, neighborhood, etc.), child’s sex, social desirability, income, and site.
Using binary logistic regression, results revealed White children with a primary parent with high racial diversity values were 30% less likely to have all White friends (p = .009; Table 2). Explicit colorblind messages related marginally (p = .087) while parents’ own cross-race friendships were not significantly associated. White children living and participating in higher racially diverse areas were 18% less likely to have all White friends (p = .006). Child’s sex, social desirability, and site were marginally related, while income was not significant.
Results suggest White parents’ racial diversity values and racial diversity of area significantly predicted whether children had cross-race or all White friends. Because reducing prejudice is more challenging in later adolescence and adulthood (Wölfer et al., 2016) and cross-race friendships represent a first step in reducing prejudice (Marinucci et al., 2021) and developing anti-racism (Hazelbaker et al., 2022), understanding how and why young children develop out-of-group friendships is imperative. As the first empirical study to examine the transmission of cross-race friendships in White families, our results suggest White parents may not first need close BIPOC friends themselves to foster cross-race friendships for their children— they can simply value that their child has BIPOC friends and provide opportunities for their children to make such friendships. Indeed, opportunity, internalized values, and personal friendships may be needed to promote a less prejudiced and more unified society.

Authors

• J. Andan Sheppard, Brigham Young University
  Presenting Author

• Ashley Jimenez Fraser, Brigham Young University

• Jocelyn Wikle, Brigham Young University

• Tracy L Spinrad, Arizona State University

• Nancy Eisenberg, Arizona State University

• Gustavo Carlo, University of California, Irvine

• Deborah J. Laible, Lehigh University