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How generic language shapes the development of social thought
Marjorie Rhodes1, Susan A Gelman2, Sarah-Jane Leslie3
1New York University, New York, NY, USA.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|October 22, 2024
Summary
Children learn about social groups using generic language, which implies categories are natural and distinct. This can lead to stereotypes, even from seemingly harmless statements.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Social Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Generic language is a primary way children learn about social categories.
- Children interpret generics as reflecting inherent, objective properties of groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how children interpret generic language.
- To explore the impact of generic language on children's social beliefs and stereotype development.
Main Methods:
- The study proposes a theoretical framework for understanding children's interpretation of generics.
- It analyzes the cognitive mechanisms by which generic statements influence social cognition.
Main Results:
- Children infer that categories referred to by generics possess natural, objective, and distinctive features.
- Generic language shapes children's beliefs about social kinds, extending beyond explicit content.
Conclusions:
- Generic language, even with neutral content, can foster essentialist beliefs about social categories.
- This process contributes to the formation of stereotypes and other social biases in children.
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