What Is a Group? Young Children's Perceptions of Different Types of Groups and Group Entitativity.

ABSTRACT: To date, developmental research on groups has focused mainly on in-group biases and intergroup relations. However, little is known about children's general understanding of social groups and their perceptions of different forms of group. In this study, 5- to 6-year-old children were asked to evaluate prototypes of four key types of groups: an intimacy group (friends), a task group (people who are collaborating), a social category (people who look alike), and a loose association (people who coincidently meet at a tram stop). In line with previous work with adults, the vast majority of children perceived the intimacy group, task group, and social category, but not the loose association, to possess entitativity, that is, to be a 'real group.' In addition, children evaluated group member prope

SUBMITTER: Plotner M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4807042 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature