Development of gender prejudice from childhood to adulthood: A Spanish perspective

Abstract

In this chapter, we provide an overview of the main internal and external factors proposed by social and evolutionary psychologists to explain the development of prejudice and stereotypes from childhood. We focus particularly on gender prejudice and empirical evidence obtained from studies conducted in Spain. Gender relations differ from other intergroup relations in that contact between girls and boys increases with age. It has been proposed that this is due to the greater interdependence that underlies the development of heterosexual intimacy during adolescence. Despite this, gender prejudice persists (or even grows) during adulthood. Thus, gender prejudice is an atypical type of intergroup conflict that is characterized by attitudinal ambivalence toward the out-group. We analyze the theoretical and empirical evidence about the development of gender relations from childhood to adolescence and adulthood in relation to the emergence of ambivalently sexist attitudes. We discuss the importance of exploring such processes to develop effective social interventions. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015.