Development of Prejudice

The existence of prejudice among adults is well-documented in academic research but is also evident to the casual observer in everyday life and in conflicts around the world. But do children experience and express prejudice? How does this develop with age? What is driving its development? And what does this mean for tackling prejudice in the early years?

In the past 80 years researchers have been intrigued by, and compelled to study, the expression and development of prejudice in children. Research in this area has tended to focus on ethnic and racial prejudice and also on the views of majority group children. This entry reflects this bias in the research but also describes the (limited) research on prejudice in young members of minority groups.