Authors: Aerika Brittian Loyd and Sarah E. Gaither
Abstract: Teaching and talking about race and ethnicity with children and adults is especially important in racially diverse societies. This process has been coined racial/ethnic socialization (RES). Despite the importance of RES, we still know very little about how this process unfolds in the lives of White youth. Thus, from a social, cognitive, and developmental perspective, the authors summarize findings from empirical research and theory on RES for White youth across stages of development—early childhood through young adulthood. Since RES is linked with cross-group attitudes (e.g., less bias, prejudice, stereotyping) and behaviors (e.g., inclusion), we highlight future directions for research and discuss applications for existing findings for an increasingly diverse society.
Key Findings
- Talking directly about racial/ethnic issues may be lacking within most White family home environments and in many school contexts, a trend that we expect will soon change.
- Children form beliefs and attitudes about racial/ethnic differences regardless of whether adults choose to engage in discussions about them.
- Social interactions can positively and negatively affect how White children perceive race and ethnicity, which also affects how they view themselves (e.g., social position).
- RES should play a more prominent role in White children’s development with regard to social norms and intergroup behaviors.
