Parents’ Role in Addressing Children’s Racial Bias: The Case of Speculation Without Evidence

• Published in: Perspectives on psychological science Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 1178 - 1186
• Main Authors: Scott, Katharine E., Shutts, Kristin, Devine, Patricia G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-09-2020; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Adult; Child; Children; Dissemination; Education, Nonprofessional; Humans; Parenting; Parents; Parents & parenting; Racial bias; Racism - prevention & control; Researchers; prejudice interventions; race; intergroup relations; children; parenting
• ISSN: 1745-6916; 1745-6924; 1745-6924
• DOI: 10.1177/1745691620927702

Children begin displaying racial biases early in development, which has led many authors of popular-press articles to generate suggestions for preventing and decreasing such biases. One common theme in the popular press is that parents should play a role in addressing children’s biases. In the present article, we analyze the current recommendations parents receive about addressing their children’s biases and consider their utility. We conclude that the evidence base supporting the effectiveness of parental intervention to reduce children’s biases is scant. Next, we offer suggestions for how to construct a useful evidence base from which good recommendations could be drawn. In so doing, we issue a call to action for researchers to conduct research that will yield empirically supported, specific, shareable suggestions for parents who are seeking advice about how to engage with their children in this important domain. We also suggest that researchers become actively involved in the dissemination of the research findings so as to improve the lives of those who receive and express biases.