Faculty Affiliate Sarah Gaither, Associate Professor in Duke University’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, recently co-authored a new article in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
The study examined how group identity and wealth status shape social preferences among children in Hong Kong. Researchers compared responses from 115 Chinese children and 84 ethnic minority South Asian/Southeast Asian children, asking participants to choose between an ethnic ingroup and outgroup peer.
Findings revealed that Chinese children preferred ingroup peers, while minority children favored outgroup peers. Importantly, across both groups, wealth also influenced preferences—highlighting how socioeconomic status and ethnicity intersect to shape early social decision-making.
Read the paper here: Whom do I like more? Examining ethnic majority and minority children’s socializing preferences in Hong Kong