Wie der soziale Status rassistische Vorurteile bei Kindern psychologisch beeinflusst. Untersuchungen deuten darauf hin, dass die Beobachtung sozialer Hierarchien und Wohlstandsunterschiede durch Kinder eine wesentliche Rolle bei der Gestaltung ihrer Rasseneinstellungen spielt.

>Recent analysis of psychological literature indicates that racial bias in childhood is driven by more than just a preference for those who look similar to oneself. A review of existing research suggests that children’s observations of social hierarchies and wealth disparities play a primary role in shaping their racial attitudes. Children as young as three years old associate high social status with positive traits, often leading them to favor White individuals over people of color in societies marked by inequality. The paper was published in the [journal](https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.70098) Social and Personality Psychology Compass.

>Researchers have documented for decades that children develop racial biases early in life. A common pattern observed in social development is “in-group preference,” where individuals prefer members of their own social category. This pattern holds true for categories like gender, where boys tend to prefer boys and girls tend to prefer girls.

>However, the pattern becomes inconsistent when researchers examine race. White children in the United States typically demonstrate a strong preference for other White children. In contrast, children of color frequently do not show this same level of preference for their own group.

>Some studies show that children of color may even display a preference for White people over members of their own racial background. Amber D. Williams and Xinguo Zhang, researchers at the University of Washington, sought to understand the reasons behind this discrepancy. They proposed that the variation in bias is partially explained by how children perceive and process social status.

>Social status is defined by an individual or group possessing greater access to resources, power, or influence. In the United States, historical systems have created a reality where White people generally hold more wealth and political power than Black people. Williams and Zhang examined how children’s awareness of these disparities interacts with their developing cognitive abilities.