Ritual increases children's preferences for in-group members

This study examined the impact of ritual on children's in-group affiliation (N = 71, 4-11-year-old children). A novel social group paradigm was used in an afterschool program setting to test the influence of a ritual versus a control task on three key outcomes--affiliation with in-group members, expectations for inclusion by in-group members, and selective group fusion with in-group members. Results from converging measures support the hypothesis that the experience of participating in a ritual increases in-group preference to a greater degree than group activity alone. The results provide insight into the early-developing preference for in-group members and are consistent with the proposal that rituals facilitate in-group cohesion.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

The University of Texas at Austin

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Wen, Nicole Jee

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Legare, Cristine H.

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Markman, Art B

• Social cognition
• Imitation
• Coalitional psychology
• Ritual
• Social group dynamics

Language dc:language.iso

en

Identifier

doi:10.15781/T2R900

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/32412