The Need for Social Developmental Research on Internal and External
Motivation to Respond Without Prejudice
Abstract
Racial bias peaks during middle childhood. The development of internal
motivation to respond without prejudice (internal MRWP; i.e., a desire
to act according to internalized beliefs about racial equality) and
external motivation to respond without prejudice (external MRWP; i.e.,
the desire to appear non-prejudicial in order to avoid social censure or
rejection) may help to reduce children’s racial bias. However, internal
and external MRWP have almost exclusively been studied among adults. The
current review seeks to situate adult internal and external MRWP
research within established developmental psychological theories in
order to provide a framework for needed developmental research in this
area. We consider peer group norms, same- and cross-race friendships,
and schools as possible contexts for internal and external MRWP
development in middle childhood. Given the urgent threat that racial
prejudice poses to society, better understanding the development of
motivations to respond without prejudice from early in life is critical.