Subconscious religious prejudice in children

[cleanhippie]

We know that religious affiliation is one among many markers of group identity. But if you ask typical adults, they will insist that they are not prejudiced against members of other faiths. However, if you measure their subconscious reactions, you can reveal hidden biases. In other words, adults know they are not supposed to be prejudiced, but deep down they often are.

But what about children? Larisa Heiphetz and colleagues, at Harvard University, ran a series of studies to find out.

The basic gist of these was that they showed the kids pictures and pictures of two children – one Christian, and one either Jewish or Hindu. The children were matched (same race etc), but the stories about them were tweaked either to emphasise differences or similarities). Then they asked the kids their opinions of the two test children. They also ran something called the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which is a test designed to uncover subconscious prejudice.

--snip--

So prejudice against other faiths is so deeply ingrained that it can have an effect even when these kids can’t consciously identify any important differences between children of different faiths!

http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012/09/subconscious-religious-prejudice-in-children/

That would certainly explain a lot.

[HopelesslyLiberal]

1. This is a surprise?

This can not be a surprise to anyone who realizes that humans are animals and as such are prone to the same influences and behaviors as other animals. All it takes for children to be raised in a homogenous environment to start recognizing others as "different" and to react to them as different.

[mzteris]

2. one of the final nails in the coffin

of my son completely rejecting the religion he'd been raised in were the kids at school who told a Jewish girl she was "going to hell" because she didn't believe in Jesus. She was in 2nd grade (he was in a partial day 1st/2nd grade).

He'd already began to think it was all quite stupid that people would believe such stories like the Ark (impossible, Mom!) and to thing there was "some old guy up in the sky" who did everything - well that was just silly.

At any rate, the point being the cruelty of these "Christian" children towards a child of another faith. They tormented and teased her and bullied her. I was really proud of him for standing up for her.

[Warpy]

4. There were always a few Jewish kids in my classrooms

in Catholic school and I honestly don't recall anyone telling them they were going to hell for being Jewish. I do recall it very clearly in public schools where Protestant kids were very quick to send any "other" to hell, especially the Baptists. Heaven's going to be a pretty lonely place with only a sprinkling of Baptists up there, scrubbing their harps.

They were subjected to the same religious crap we all were, it was part and parcel of being in a "superior" school. They seemed perfectly capable of taking it with a pound of salt while it sent me into full, screaming rebellion.

[mzteris]

5. Yup, Baptists and

the 7th Day Adventist children were the worst culprits.

[msongs]

3. fear based exclusionary religions generate prejudice? this report is blasphemy, riot at 9 am nt