Liking and Peer Perceptions among Asian and White British Children

Abstract

Study 1 investigated liking and perceptions of classmates in 140 Asian and White boys and girls in three racially mixed schools. All four groups selected significantly more own-race than other-race classmates as Like Most choices. For Like Least choices, White girls and boys selected significantly more other-race classmates, Asian boys significantly more own-race classmates, Asian girls did not differ in own-race and other-race choices. Using ratings, White children and Asian children showed greater liking of own-race than other-race classmates. White children received more nominations for Starts Fights and Disrupts from Asian than White raters but more nominations for Cooperates from White than Asian raters. Perceptions of cooperation in individual peers were hypothesized to influence liking and to explain the weak links between liking of classmates and liking expressed for unknown own-race and other-race children shown in photographs. Study 2 investigated further the reasons why children (N = 124) like some classmates most and others least. Supporting the hypothesis from Study 1, the most common reasons given for liking classmates most were because they were cooperative and played with the interviewee; the most common reason given for why classmates were liked least was because they were bullies. The results are discussed in terms of the development of inter-racial liking in children and attempts to enhance liking among children from different racial backgrounds by cooperative group work methods.