Durban - Avoiding conversations with children about stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination does not protect them from these attitudes, a study has found.
While many adults claim children show little or no prejudice, and so, for example, adopt a “colour-blind” racial socialisation strategy as parents, young children show stereotyping and prejudice on the basis of many human traits including race, gender, age and attractiveness, according to a study published in a child development journal.
Children begin to show evidence of stereotyping and prejudice by the age of 3 or 4. During middle childhood (which typically begins at 6 years old) some children understand that others endorse, and act upon, social stereotypes and prejudices.
US researchers reviewed existing evidence on the risks and benefits of teaching primary school children about intergroup biases, and concluded that these lessons should begin early in childhood.
Children who are members of minority or low status groups become aware of prejudice and stereotyping earlier than their peers.
The authors, from the University of Texas, contend that teaching children about intergroup biases can protect those who might be stigmatised by helping them to recognise and confront biases, and reform the perpetrators.
The risks associated with children’s learning about stereotyping and prejudice were that stigmatised children might grow angry towards those outside their particular group or become anxious about their own potential victimisation, or that privileged children could experience defensiveness and guilt.
Another possible consequence could be that children learnt to mistrust people outside their particular social group, or reinforce stereotypes and prejudices.
The Mercury