Question

1. what are racial boundaries and why they form among school-age children and adolescents. In what ways can racial boundaries be challenged

2. what impacts do parents have on children's prejudicial attitudes or lack thereof. examples of what research indicate about the transmission of prejudice from parents to children.

3. how young children's perceptions of differences typically develop, and ways that parents, teachers, or other caregivers can help promote multicultural sensitivity in children.

Submit this assignment by Sunday of this week.

Answer 1

Racial boundary is intricately related to ethnicity and racial identity of individuals. Racial boundary is obvious in an individual's attitude and behavior while interacting with others in the society. Racial boundary represents both similarities and differences. One can observe the examples of racial boundary in individuals' day to day interaction and activity.

Children and adolescents develop such racial boundaries through their interaction with different institution (family, school and neighborhood) of society.  

Racial boundaries can be challenged in the following ways:

a) Sensitizing students to respect individual differences.

b) Showing Videos which teach admiring cultural differences in the class.

c) Teachers should play role model where they themselves respect ethnic and racial differences.

d) Children learn from observing their parents' behavior. If parents are sensitive to others' differences, children will show the same behavior.

Attitudes are learned through observational learning and reinforcement since infancy. If any attitude of the child gets rewarded, the child is highly likely to show it again and again. Children also learn through imitation. Children observe their parents and imitate their behavior and attitude.

Children start developing attitudes regarding different groups of society from their parents at very early ages (3-4). With increasing age attitudes are too difficult to change (Byrnes,1995).  Socialization plays a very important role in attitude formation and parents are the first socializing agent. Children’s attitudes are influenced by significant adults (Carlson and Iovini, 1985; Bigler and Liben, 2007; McGlothlin and Killen, 2010). Socializing agents play a very crucial role in attitude formation and children’s intergroup attitudes result from their parents through the process of social transmission (Radke-Yarrow et al., 1952; Allport, 1954).

Children's perception of differences develops through socialization and parents and teachers are significant socializing agents.

Sensitization classes for multi ethnicity and cultural differences could help children and adolescents to be more accepting of differences.

Positively reinforcing children for showing respect for cultural and individual differences could also be helpful.