Dunham, YarrowBaron, Andrew ScottBanaji, Mahzarin2009-05-202007Dunham, Yarrow, Andrew Scott Baron, and Mahzarin R. Banaji. 2007. Children and social groups: A developmental analysis of implicit consistency in Hispanic Americans. Self and Identity 6(2-3): 238-255.1529-8868http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:2961696We investigated the development of three aspects of implicit social cognition (self-esteem, group identity, and group attitude) and their interrelationships in Hispanic American children (ages 5 to 12) and adults. Hispanic children and adults showed positive implicit self-esteem and a preference for and identification with their in-group when the comparison group was another disadvantaged minority group (African American). However, challenging the long-held view that children's early intergroup attitudes are primarily egocentric, young Hispanic children do not show implicit preference for or identification with their in-group when the comparison was the more advantaged White majority. Results also supported predictions of cognitive-affective balance in the youngest children. Strikingly, balance was absent in adults, suggesting that in disadvantaged minority groups, cognitive-affective consistency may actually decline with age.en-USJournal Article10.1080/15298860601115344