Strength of ingroup identity and prosociality in a legacy of conflict: the effects of cost and recipient identity

Bethany Corbett, Jocelyn Dautel, Jasmina Tomašić Humer, Ana Tomovska Misoska, Laura Taylor

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Children are sensitive to and recognize social categories (Aboud, 1988), including ethno-religious categories (e.g., Dautel, Maloku, Tomovska Misoska, & Taylor, 2020; Taylor, Dautel, & Rylander, 2020). Where ethno-religious groups have been in conflict with one another, attachment to ethno-religious identity can be associated with negative intergroup behaviours, even in childhood (Shamoa-Nir et al., 2021). Understanding the association between strength of ethno-religious identity and outgroup prosociality has implications for continued peace building. Data was collected in three societies (Northern Ireland/NI, Republic of North Macedonia/RNM, Croatia) where past conflict had occurred between ethno-religious rival groups (Catholics/Protestants, Macedonians/Albanians, Croatians/Serbians. Participants were 7-11-year-olds (NI, n = 51, M = 9.12, SD = 1.29; RNM, n = 183, M = 9.07, SD = 1.33; Croatia, n = 81, M = 9.00, SD = 1.26), who were born following a generation of peace. We examined children's prosocial behaviour within the legacy of conflict by asking whether they reported greater prosociality towards a general target compared to a member of the rival ethno-religious group. We also examined their outgroup directed prosociality as a function of cost (i.e. whether they were required to personally sacrifice rewards to help an outgroup member). Finally, we examined the effects of strength of ingroup identity and minority/majority status. Children’s prosociality varied as a function of target, cost, ingroup identity and status.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication26th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development, Rhodes, Greece, 19/06/2022
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 19 Jun 2022

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