Ethnic prejudice is a worldwide problem, starts developing at a young age, and peaks in middle childhood (5-7 years old). Studies indicate that parental ethnic prejudice is associated with children...Show moreEthnic prejudice is a worldwide problem, starts developing at a young age, and peaks in middle childhood (5-7 years old). Studies indicate that parental ethnic prejudice is associated with children’s ethnic prejudice. How parents think and talk about multiculturalism may similarly play a role in the development of children’s ethnic prejudice. In this study with (N = 80) White Dutch mothers and their children, it was examined if there would be a negative relation between maternal views on multiculturalism and children’s ethnic prejudice towards Black and Muslim children and if these relations would be negatively mediated by maternal ethnic-racial socialization. Two separate mediation models (one predicting ethnic prejudice towards Black children, the other predicting ethnic prejudice towards Muslim children) were run using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. No significant relations were found between maternal views on multiculturalism and children’s ethnic prejudice towards either out-groups and maternal ethnic-racial socialization did not mediate these relations. However, most of the directions of the relations are in accordance with this study’s hypotheses. More research is needed and future reseach could use different approaches (e.g., larger sample, child reports of parental views, the views of both parents on multiculturalism, different cohorts existing of younger and older children or a longitudinal design) to gain more knowledge about the role that parents play in the development of their children’s ethnic prejudice. In this way parents could be informed about their role and how they might be able to prevent ethnic prejudice in their children.Show less
The present study aimed to enhance understanding of the connection between empathy and openness to experience. While research has explored this connection previously, this study also aims to apply...Show moreThe present study aimed to enhance understanding of the connection between empathy and openness to experience. While research has explored this connection previously, this study also aims to apply it to the gifted and pre-adolescent population. Giftedness is a complex topic with a wide array of definitions and an even wider array of implications. In the current study, children between the ages of 9-12, in either non-gifted or gifted schools all over the Netherlands, were administered the subscale of openness to experience from the Big Five Questionnaire for Children and the subscales of Empathic Concern and Perspective Taking from the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. For the first hypothesis, testing whether openness to experience can be predicted from empathy, results showed that students (N = 95) showed higher scores in openness to experience if they were more empathetic. The overall Interpersonal Reactivity Index score was the best predictor, closely followed by the Perspective Taking scores. Results for the second hypothesis, that the previous prediction would be more significant for gifted students (N = 44) than non-gifted students (N = 51), showed no statistical evidence, but hinted towards a significant trend. It was concluded that individuals higher in empathy might also show more openness to experience. Additionally, the study highlights the need for improvement in the current educational systems by mentioning current options and their practical limitations in relation to gifted and non-gifted individuals.Show less
Performance on a Stroop-like tasks require individuals to inhibit irrelevant but interfering stimuli while performing a specific task. This ability is called interference control, a cognitive...Show morePerformance on a Stroop-like tasks require individuals to inhibit irrelevant but interfering stimuli while performing a specific task. This ability is called interference control, a cognitive function that is not fully developed until adulthood (Nigg, 2000). The aim of the current study was to investigate whether immature interference control of children are indeed the underlying reason behind the interference effect observed on Stroop-like tasks. This was done by calculating children’s, adolescents’ and adults’ stability of reaction times and interference effects within a single testing session. Data from the performance on four different Stroop-like paradigms (colour-object; positionobject; number-object; and picture-word) of participants from five age groups (6, 8, 12, 16, and 20 years old) was used to carry out this investigation. It was predicted that, overall, there would be a stability of reaction times and interference effects across two session halves. Furthermore, it was predicted that the stability of interference effect would vary when comparing different age groups and experimental paradigms, with older age groups showing more stability and greater variability between paradigms. Results of the current study found an asymmetrical result with evidence for high within-session stability of reaction time with no effect of age or paradigm and less strong, albeit similar, results for interference effects.Show less
One’s self-esteem is definitive for a great deal of aspects in life, ranging from health to relationships. Our self-esteem can be influenced by a lot of factors, intelligence – especially...Show moreOne’s self-esteem is definitive for a great deal of aspects in life, ranging from health to relationships. Our self-esteem can be influenced by a lot of factors, intelligence – especially giftedness – being one. As we navigate through adolescence, a lot of things change, including our attachment. All these big shifts in our lives causes our self-esteem to fluctuate. The current study examined the impact of self-esteem on peer attachment, and whether giftedness affects this relationship. Participants included Dutch preadolescents (N = 96) that either attended a regular (N = 45) or a gifted (N = 51) primary school. Self-esteem and peer attachment were measured using the Competency Experience Scale Child (CBSK) and the Inventory of Peer and Parent Attachment (IPPA) respectively. These results were then compared between gifted and typically developing children using a linear regression analysis (LRA). The findings indicated a significant relationship between self-esteem and peer attachment for typically developing children, but a nonsignificant relationship for gifted children, suggesting that giftedness does influence this relationship. The current study emphasizes the need for more knowledge on giftedness.Show less
