Abstract
Previous research has suggested that infants exhibit a preference for familiar over unfamiliar social groups (e.g., preferring individuals from their own language group over individuals from a foreign language group). However, because past studies often employ forced-choice procedures, it is not clear whether infants' intergroup preferences are driven by positivity toward members of familiar groups, negativity toward members of unfamiliar groups, or both. Across six experiments, we implemented a habituation procedure to independently measure infants' positive and negative evaluations of speakers of familiar and unfamiliar languages. We report that by 1 year of age, infants positively evaluate individuals who speak a familiar language, but do not negatively evaluate individuals who speak an unfamiliar language (Experiments 1 and 2). Several experiments rule out lower-level explanations (Experiments 3–6). Together these data suggest that children's early social group preferences may be shaped by positive evaluations of familiar group(s), rather than negative evaluations of unfamiliar groups.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e12586 |
Journal | Developmental Science |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Funding
Research Council of Canada grant to ASB (# 435-2013-0286). We would also like to thank the Living Lab at Science World at TELUS World of Science in Vancouver and the participating parents and children. This research was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities This research was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada grant to ASB (# 435-2013-0286). We would also like to thank the Living Lab at Science World at TELUS World of Science in Vancouver and the participating parents and children.
Funders | Funder number |
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Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences | |
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada | 435-2013-0286 |
Medical Research Council Canada |