Developmental Psychology
Volume 43, Issue 2, 2007, Pages 496-507

Social identities and intergroup bias in immigrant and nonimmigrant children (Article)

Pfeifer J.H.* , Rubble D.N. , Bachman M.A. , Alvarez J.M. , Cameron J.A. , Fuligni A.J.
  • a University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, United States
  • b New York University, New York, NY, United States, Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
  • c New York University, New York, NY, United States, Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
  • d New York University, New York, NY, United States, Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
  • e New York University, New York, NY, United States, Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
  • f University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, Department of Psychology, Center for Culture and Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

Ethnic and American identity, as well as positivity and negativity toward multiple social groups, were assessed in 392 children attending 2nd or 4th grade in various New York City neighborhoods. Children from 5 ethnic groups were recruited, including White and Black Americans, as well as recent immigrants from China, the Dominican Republic, and the former Soviet Union. For ethnic minority children, greater positivity bias (evaluating one's ingroup more positively than outgroups) was predicted by immigrant status and ethnic identity, whereas negativity bias (evaluating outgroups more negatively than one's ingroup) was associated with increased age, immigrant status, and (among 4th graders only) ethnic identity. In addition, a more central American identity was associated with less intergroup bias among ethnic minority children. Copyright 2007 by the American Psychological Association.

Author Keywords

Attitudes immigrants Ethnic minority children Social identity theory Development Ethnic identity

Index Keywords

male female Psychological Theory Emigration and Immigration Humans Group Processes Bias (Epidemiology) Article group process Social Identification human epidemiology social behavior migration attitude Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33947525590&doi=10.1037%2f0012-1649.43.2.496&partnerID=40&md5=866c78c7025dadf3e2fd3612fe5c9ae5
DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.43.2.496
ISSN: 00121649
Cited by: 49
Original Language: English