Evaluations of and reasoning about normative and deviant ingroup and outgroup members: development of the black sheep effect

Abrams, D.; Palmer, S.B.; Rutland, A.; Cameron, L.; Van de Vyver, J.

doi:10.1037/a0032461

Evaluations of and reasoning about normative and deviant ingroup and outgroup members: development of the black sheep effect

Abrams, D.; Palmer, S.B.; Rutland, A.; Cameron, L.; Van de Vyver, J.

Authors

D. Abrams

S.B. Palmer

A. Rutland

L. Cameron

Dr Julie Van De Vyver julie.van-de-vyver@durham.ac.uk
Seminars/Lectures (PTT)

Abstract

Research with adults has demonstrated a “black sheep effect” (BSE) whereby, relative to evaluations of normative group members, ingroup deviants are derogated more than outgroup deviants. The developmental subjective group dynamics (DSGD) model holds that the BSE should develop during middle childhood when children apply wider social norms. Three hundred and thirty-eight children who were between 5 and 12 years old judged a normative (socially desirable) and a deviant (socially undesirable) member from an ingroup or an outgroup school. Results confirmed a developmental increase in the BSE, the first time this has been demonstrated. Children’s own evaluations of group members were mediated by their expectations about ingroup peers’ evaluations. In line with DSGD and social domain theories, with age, children’s explanations of peer evaluations for ingroup deviance focused relatively more on loyalty. Practical and theoretical implications for peer inclusion and exclusion are discussed.

Citation

Abrams, D., Palmer, S., Rutland, A., Cameron, L., & Van de Vyver, J. (2014). Evaluations of and reasoning about normative and deviant ingroup and outgroup members: development of the black sheep effect. Developmental Psychology, 50(1), 258-270. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032461

Journal Article Type	Article
Online Publication Date	Jan 1, 2014
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2014
Deposit Date	Sep 6, 2018
Publicly Available Date	Sep 7, 2018
Journal	Developmental Psychology
Print ISSN	0012-1649
Electronic ISSN	1939-0599
Publisher	American Psychological Association
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	50
Issue	1
Pages	258-270
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032461
Related Public URLs	http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/23162/

Files

Accepted Journal Article (509 Kb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
© 2014 American Psychological Association, all rights reserved. This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.