title: The company they keep and avoid: social goal orientation as a predictor of children's ethnic segregation.
abstract: This study examined whether social goal orientation (i.e., demonstration-approach, demonstration-avoid, and social development goals) predicts changes in ethnic segregation among 4th and 5th grade African American and European American children (n = 713, ages 9-11 years) from fall to spring. Segregation measures were (a) same-ethnicity favoritism in friendships, (b) same-ethnicity favoritism in peer group affiliations, and (c) cross-ethnicity dislike. Social goal orientation was asymmetrically associated with ethnic segregation for the 2 groups. Among African Americans, aspiring to achieve high social status predicted increases in same-ethnicity favoritism and cross-ethnicity dislike. Among European Americans, aspiring to achieve high social status predicted decreases in same-ethnicity favoritism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Oberlin College.
authors.forename: Travis M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology.
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rodkin
authors.affiliation: Combined Program in Education and Psychology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Allison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011287:Prejudice; D012930:Social Dominance; D012933:Social Identification; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*