PREADOLESCENTS UNDERSTANDING OF ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION

Social representation theory was used as a heuristic framework for inv estigating preadolescents' (193 Dutch and ethnic minority respondents between 10 and 13 years of age) understanding of discrimination in the Netherlands. Shared beliefs and understandings were found regarding w hen a specific act was considered discriminatory, who the actors were, and why the discrimination occurred. The prototypical example of disc rimination was a situation in which a Dutch child called a minority ch ild names without an acceptable reason. Discrimination was seen to a l esser degree as unequal division of valued things and as social exclus ion. Consistent with social representation theory and contrary to comm on belief, there were very few differences in understanding of discrim ination between ethnic majority and minority respondents. No differenc es were found for age and gender.