In-group and out-group attitudes of Muslim children

Although negative stereotypes towards Muslims escalated after the events of September 11th, little is known about how Muslim children think about their own group members. Therefore, the current study examined Muslim children's attitudes towards Muslims and non-Muslims. Sixty-five 5- to 8-year-old Muslim children, enrolled in an Islamic school, engaged in two tasks. In the attribution task, children rated pictures of Muslims and non-Muslims on an adjective bipolar scale containing positive and negative adjectives. In the preference task, children were asked who they preferred as a neighbor, teacher, and friend. Children made more positive attributions for Muslims than non-Muslims, with young children providing more negative evaluations of non-Muslims than older children. Children also preferred Muslims as potential teachers, neighbors, and friends. Implications of Muslim children's attitudes towards in-group and out-group members are discussed.