Stereotypes and teacher characteristics as an explanation for the class-specific disciplinary practices of pre-service teachers

•Pre-service teachers keep more negative stereotypes on low-class than on middle class children.•Respondents with negative stereotypes on low-class children use a harsher discipline style on them.•Particularly indicators of social contact are related to low-class stereotypes.•Mainly indicators of social identity are related to harsher discipline styles on low-class children.

This paper explores the importance of class-related stereotypes for the discipline practice of pre-service teachers and whether stereotypes and discipline practice are related to their students' outward appearance. Pre-service teachers were asked to assign adjectives to photographs of children from the lower and middle social classes and to choose disciplinary actions for photographs of disruptive situations involving children from these classes. Results show that 40% of pre-service teachers treated children unfairly based on class affiliation, of these 50% punished lower-class children more harshly. The unfair treatment of lower-class children was linked to class-related stereotypes and to indicators of social identity.