Learning by Example: Does Positive Nonverbal Behavior Reduce Children's Racial Bias?

Abstract

Nonverbal behavior is a ubiquitous, everyday cue that is often used as a basis for social evaluation. Numerous studies indicate that children are sensitive to these signals and form evaluative judgments after viewing positive or negative nonverbal cues directed toward a target. Furthermore, they generalize these judgments to other members of a targets’ social group, indicating that nonverbal behavior displays can influence intergroup bias. However, no studies thus far have directly examined whether exposure to positive nonverbal behavior cues can reduce children's implicit and explicit racial bias. In the current study, we exposed White and Asian children ages 9–11 to positive nonverbal behavior displayed by a White expresser toward a Black target, drawn from children's television shows. Children demonstrated a pro-White/anti-Black bias implicitly, but explicitly preferred Black over White characters. Additionally, children judged Black characters from the clips and novel Black characters positively. We found that there was no difference in implicit or explicit racial bias between children who viewed positive nonverbal behavior demonstrated by a White expresser to a Black target as compared to children who were only exposed to a Black target (and no nonverbal cues) or unrelated video clips. Future research examining the influence of positive nonverbal behavior on children's racial bias should consider using more overt or prolonged demonstrations of positive nonverbal behavior or increasing children's familiarity with the characters presented.