Parental attitudes poorly predict children’s prejudice levels

Evidence

Although most people accepted the learning-theory explanation for a gradual increase in prejudice with age, as summarized by Brand, Ruiz, and Padilla (1974), this was challenged by findings that the increase was not so gradual (e.g. Asher & Allan, 1966; Clark, 1955) and that there was little correlation between the attitudes of parents and children (see Aboud & Amato, 2001). — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1999 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

What is it that causes the prejudiced person to be so much concerned with status and success? The answer seems to be in the interview categories: “Family status-concerned” vs. “Family status-relaxed.” Prejudiced subjects made the following observations “Well, they [parents] didn’t want me to run with some kind of people—slummy women— always wanted me to associate with the higher class of people.” “We lived in a nice house but really couldn’t afford it. It was quite an effort to get into social circles.” — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 557 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Parents holding conservative economic attitudes again proved likely to be prejudiced (.40), due in part to their tendency to be high SDOs (.33) and high RWAs (.20). — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1025 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Parents’ racist normalization and views often precede a son’s radicalization — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 310; Implicit bias passes from parents to preschoolers and via TV viewing; Children adopt prejudice via parental identification and status comparison. (+14 more)

Broader Connections

• Prejudice in children does not rise gradually and does not track parental attitudes. #corroborates (0.95) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 1999
• Family status anxiety in parents predicts offspring prejudice #complicates (0.80) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 557
• Economic conservatism among parents predicts prejudice through social dominance orientation #complicates (0.80) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 1025
• Parental status anxiety drives children’s prejudice through class-distinction grooming #complicates (0.78) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 559
• Prejudice transmits across generations mostly through parents’ unintended influence #complicates (0.75)
• Children acquire prejudice in predictable age-linked stages #complicates (0.75) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1999
• Five-year-olds’ group-centered cognition and negativity bias explain prejudice acquisition timing. #complicates (0.72)