Early conceptions of national identity: causes and consequences

National identity is a powerful category marker that has been found to influence people’s perceptions and judgments of social others. While one’s nationality is technically defined by circumstantial factors (e.g., birthplace, residence), as opposed to inherent or biological features, adults still describe their national identity as being extremely important to their personal identity (ANES, 2004), and strong national identification has profound—and often pernicious—consequences for how one views national outgroups (e.g., Huynh, Devos, & Altman, 2015). Here, I explore the origins of national identity conceptions; specifically, I ask whether young children (beginning at age 5) are aware of the extrinsic determinants of nationality, or whether their conceptions are more biologically-based, as is their reasoning about other influential social categories (e.g., gender; Rhodes & Gelman, 2009). I tested the prediction that at the age when children first become aware of their national identity as a category marker, they will hold an essentialist conception of nationality, believing that it is a biologically-based, stable, and inherent feature of their selves. However, as they age, this tendency will decline, and they will instead attribute nationality to more environmentally-determined factors (Studies 1-3). Further, I investigated the consequences of an early essentialist conception of national identity, and specifically the role that essentialism plays in predicting outgroup-denigrating beliefs and behaviors (Studies 3 & 4). In uncovering the early manifestations and consequences of national identity beliefs, the present research presents an important first look at the development of children’s understanding of nation-state membership, and the lasting impact it may have on their interactions with the world.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2017

Author dc:creator

• Hussak, Larisa

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stern, Chadly
• Cimpian, Andrei
• Baillargeon, Renée
• Cohen, Dov
• Fisher, Cynthia

• National identity
• Social cognition
• Psychological essentialism
• Intergroup attitudes

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2017 Larisa Hussak

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/97700

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/97700