Monoracial and Biracial Children: Effects of Racial Identity Saliency on Social Learning and Social Preferences

• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12266
• Publication Date: 2014-07-15T17:05:08Z
• Authors: Sarah E. Gaither; Eva E. Chen; Kathleen H. Corri...; Paul L. Harris; Nalini Ambady; Samuel R. Sommers
• Keywords: Social Learning

Children prefer learning from, and affiliating with, their racial in‐group but those preferences may vary for biracial children. Monoracial (White, Black, Asian) (Black/White, Asian/White) children ( N = 246, 3–8 years) had identity primed. In a task, participants determined the function of novel object after watching adults demonstrate its uses. social saw pairs chose with whom they most wanted to socially affiliate. Biracial showed flexibility in identification during tasks. However, minority‐primed were not more likely than monoracial minorities affiliate primed members, indicating are contextually based.