Perspectives on inclusive norms: Generic versus group specific

• In Event: 2-197 - The emergence of and mechanisms underlying the development of moral norms

Integrative Statement

Children and adolescents value inclusivity and prefer it over exclusive behavior based on moral reasons related to fairness and other’s well-being (Killen, 2007). This appreciation for a generic norm of inclusion due to moral implications can be found in children as young as 4 years of age. In intergroup situations, when individuals are making decisions about inclusion of others from different ethnic groups, concerns for group processes and stereotypes begin to interfere with moral considerations of inclusion (Hitti & Killen, 2015). This is a pattern often observed with age as children and in particular adolescents, gain greater understanding of group processes (Rutland & Killen, 2017). In the current paper we will examine findings from two studies in which children and adolescents from varying ethnic background evaluated inclusion demonstrating both an understanding of its moral implications but also an understanding that groups or authority figures may prioritize other considerations.

In two studies participants evaluated the inclusion of an ethnic outgroup peer who shares the same interests as their ingroup versus the inclusion of an ethnic ingroup peer who does not share the same interests as the ingroup. In study 1 199 non-Arab American 12 and 16 year olds made judgments about who their ingroup peers (ingroup is non-Arab and outgroup is Arab American) would include and who they themselves would prefer to include. In Study 2 134 Asian American 10, 13, and 16 year olds made similar judgments (ingroup is Asian American and outgroup is non-Asian American) but also indicated who they expected an ingroup parent would want their child to include. In study 1 findings indicated that ethnically diverse 12 and 16 year olds demonstrated inclusivity based on shared interest as opposed ethnic membership and also expected their ingroup peers to have similar preferences across both age groups. In Study 2 Asian American participants (10, 13, 16 years) showed strong individual inclusivity toward ethnic outgroup peers and these inclusive orientations increased with age. However, unlike Study 1 individual inclusivity did not map onto expectations for ingroup peer inclusivity and ingroup parent inclusivity. In fact, participants expected ingroup peers to weigh both group identity and shared interests when making inclusion decisions, and expected parents to be the least inclusive due to prejudicial attitudes about outgroups. As shown in Figure 1, individual inclusivity was contrasted with expectations for ingroup peer (p < .05) and parent (p < .001) inclusivity only during adolescence.

These findings demonstrated the importance of context and experience for children’s and adolescents’ understanding of moral norms such as inclusion. The role of group processes in impacting such an understanding will be discussed from a moral development perspective.

Authors

• Aline Hitti, University of San Francisco
  Presenting Author

• Melanie Killen, University of Maryland
  Non-Presenting Author