Children's Judgments of Disloyal and Immoral Peer Behavior: Subjective Group Dynamics in Minimal Intergroup Contexts

• Published in: Child development 2008-03, Vol.79 (2), p.444-461
• Main Authors: Abrams, Dominic, Rutland, Adam, Ferrell, Jennifer M., Pelletier, Joseph
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antisocial Behavior; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child development; Child psychology; Child psychopathology; Childhood; Children; Children & youth; Classification; Cognitive development; Developmental psychology; Empirical Articles; Family studies; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Group Dynamics; Humans; Inferences; Intergroup relations; Judgment; Judgments; Loyalty; Male; Moral development; Moral judgment; Moral Values; Morals; Normativity; Peer Evaluation; Peer Group; Peer groups; Peer relationships; Prosocial Behavior; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Social Behavior; Social behaviour; Social context; Social identity; Social psychology
• ISSN: 0009-3920; 1467-8624
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01135.x

The developmental model of subjective group dynamics hypothesizes that peer exclusion during middle childhood involves inferences about group dynamics. To test the generality of this prediction, children judged, within minimal groups, peers whose behavior was loyal versus disloyal (Study 1: n = 46, mean age = 113 months) or morally acceptable versus unacceptable (Study 2: n = 121, mean age = 90 months). As hypothesized, in Study 1, children used their understanding of loyalty norms as a basis for evaluating peers. In both studies, higher commitment to the in-group increased use of group-based criteria for judging peers. In Study 2, children employed moral- and group-based criteria independently for judging peers. Multiple classification skill was associated with lower intergroup bias and greater use of morality-based judgment.