Understanding attitudes and friendship behaviours towards socially stigmatised appearances in children aged 4-10 years

Parnell, Jade; Williamson, Heidi; Lewis, Fay; Slater, Amy

Abstract

Background: Appearance-based stereotyping and prejudice emerges in early childhood, and can exist by the age of 4 years. Children from negatively stereotyped or stigmatised groups (e.g., higher weight, visible difference) are at increased risk of experiencing stigmatisation from other children, resulting in negative outcomes such as poorer psychological adjustment and quality of life. To understand this further, a study evaluated children’s attitudes towards various socially stigmatised appearances.

Method: Children aged 4-9 years (currently, n=396), from various Primary Schools in the South West of England viewed, in a randomised order, five digitally designed, realistic child characters. The images included a character; with no stigmatised appearance, wearing glasses, of higher weight, with a facial burn and in a wheelchair. All characters had similar features (e.g., face shape, height, race and eyes), but varied slightly according to the stigmatised appearance. Characters were matched according to participant gender and for each character there was a facial and full body image. Open ended questions and quantitative measures assessed children’s attitudes and possible subsequent behaviours towards the individual characters.

Anticipated Results: Findings will generate greater understanding regarding children’s overall attitudes towards various stigmatised appearances.

Anticipated conclusions: Findings will be interpreted with respect to the literature regarding body image, social psychology and child development. Implications will inform researchers and education professionals regarding strategies for promoting acceptance of socially stigmatised appearances in young children.

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: UWE Postgraduate Conference
• Start Date: Jul 24, 2019
• End Date: Jul 24, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jan 4, 2023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10282909