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Abstract High‐quality forms of intergroup contact, such as cross‐group play and friendships, have been identified as particularly effective for promoting positive beliefs toward outgroup peers. Relations between children's cross‐group play experiences and their beliefs about peers’ math and science competencies and high‐status occupational prospects have not yet been examined. Understanding these relations is important given that children from minoritized groups continue to face exclusion and bias in these domains. The present study examined the associations between children's (N = 983,Mage = 9.64, SDage = .89) reported cross‐group play experiences and their math and science competency beliefs and high‐status occupation expectations about girls and Black peers. Results revealed that, for majority group participants (i.e., boys and White children), higher levels of cross‐group play were associated with significantly higher beliefs and expectations for girls and Black peers. Further, results demonstrated contexts in which higher levels of cross‐group play were positively associated with girls’ and Black children's beliefs and expectations for their own groups. Together, these findings advance theory and research on the benefits of cross‐group contact in childhood by highlighting novel outcomes to which cross‐group contact is positively related, as well as by showing that children from both minoritized and majority status groups stand to benefit from cross‐group contact.
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Children's evaluations of interracial peer inclusion and exclusion: The role of intimacy
Abstract The present study investigated how Black and White American children, ages 6 to 9.5 years and 9.5 to 12 years (N = 219,MAge = 9.18 years, SDAge = 1.90; 51% female) evaluated vignettes in which peers included a same‐ or cross‐race peer in a high‐intimacy or low‐intimacy context. These data were collected from 2021 to 2022. Children expected characters to be less likely to include cross‐race peers in high‐ than low‐intimacy contexts. They also evaluated cross‐race exclusion more negatively in high‐ and low‐intimacy contexts. Black participants evaluated cross‐race exclusion more negatively than did White participants. Older participants were more likely to personally include a cross‐race peer. This study is a first step toward understanding the role of intimacy in cross‐race peer relationships.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1728918
- PAR ID:
- 10636589
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Child Development
- Volume:
- 96
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0009-3920
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 645 to 661
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14197
