Internalization of Social Norms and Indirect Expression of Prejudice in Children

Abstract

This research aims to contribute to the study of indirect expression of prejudice against blacks in children, considering the role of internalization of social norms. The objective was to analyze the indirect expression of prejudice in children from 5 to 10 years old. Specifically, we evaluated indirect expression of prejudice: 1) according to three response contexts; 2) according to skin color; 3) comparing children from 5 to 7 years old versus 8 to 10 years old. We counted on participation of 40 children from a municipal school in Maceió. To compare the variables involved, there were descriptive statistics and X2 test for association (chi-square). The results indicated that there is a relationship between context and expression of prejudice, which may be related to the hypothesis of indirect expression of racial prejudice. The age did not appear to have a significant difference in the expression of prejudice. It was concluded that children express prejudice in a subtle and indirect way, since they do so only when there is a justification for this other than the color of the target’s skin. Keywords: prejudice, racism, children, social norms