View in EDS

Experimental Evidence of Peer Gender Nonconformity Triggering Dehumanization in Children: Developmental Trajectory, Form, and Link to Bullying

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Experimental Evidence of Peer Gender Nonconformity Triggering Dehumanization in Children: Developmental Trajectory, Form, and Link to Bullying
Language: English
Authors: Marshall M. C. Hui, Karson T. F. Kung (ORCID 0000-0002-1598-1513)
Source: Developmental Science. 2025 28(6).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 16
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Gender Identity, Bullying, Humanization, Peer Relationship, Childrens Attitudes, Child Behavior, Antisocial Behavior, Foreign Countries, Age Differences, Attribution Theory
Geographic Terms: Hong Kong
DOI: 10.1111/desc.70070
ISSN: 1363-755X
1467-7687
Abstract: Gender nonconforming (GN) children are at higher risk of experiencing bullying and social exclusion than are gender conforming (GC) children. Nonetheless, very little is known about the socio-cognitive mechanisms underlying children's bias against GN peers. The present study was the first to examine children's dehumanization of GN peers (developmental trajectory, form, and link to bullying). Chinese children in Hong Kong (N = 472; in four age groups: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 years) were assessed individually in an in-person experimental study. Children were shown experimentally manipulated vignettes of four hypothetical peers (GC boy, GC girl, GN boy, and GN girl). Next, children's blatant and subtle dehumanization of these peers, and their propensity to bully these peers, were assessed. In the blatant dehumanization task, children rated how human-like/insect-like each peer was using a visual scale with a continuous slider. For subtle dehumanization, a mind perception task was used to assess the frequency and diversity of mental state words spontaneously used by children to describe videos associated with different peers. Children also completed questions assessing bullying tendency. By age 9-10 years, children dehumanized GN peers both blatantly and subtly, regardless of peer gender. Older children rated GN peers as less human-like/more insect-like than GC peers and also spontaneously attributed fewer and less diverse mental states to GN peers than to GC peers. According to multilevel moderated mediation analyses, blatant dehumanization partially explained older children's tendency to bully GN peers. Further research may develop interventions aimed at reducing children's dehumanization of GN peers.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487301
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1487301
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Experimental Evidence of Peer Gender Nonconformity Triggering Dehumanization in Children: Developmental Trajectory, Form, and Link to Bullying
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marshall+M%2E+C%2E+Hui%22">Marshall M. C. Hui</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Karson+T%2E+F%2E+Kung%22">Karson T. F. Kung</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1598-1513">0000-0002-1598-1513</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Science%22"><i>Developmental Science</i></searchLink>. 2025 28(6).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 16
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Identity%22">Gender Identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bullying%22">Bullying</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Humanization%22">Humanization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Childrens+Attitudes%22">Childrens Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Behavior%22">Child Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Antisocial+Behavior%22">Antisocial Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attribution+Theory%22">Attribution Theory</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hong+Kong%22">Hong Kong</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/desc.70070
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1363-755X<br />1467-7687
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Gender nonconforming (GN) children are at higher risk of experiencing bullying and social exclusion than are gender conforming (GC) children. Nonetheless, very little is known about the socio-cognitive mechanisms underlying children's bias against GN peers. The present study was the first to examine children's dehumanization of GN peers (developmental trajectory, form, and link to bullying). Chinese children in Hong Kong (N = 472; in four age groups: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 years) were assessed individually in an in-person experimental study. Children were shown experimentally manipulated vignettes of four hypothetical peers (GC boy, GC girl, GN boy, and GN girl). Next, children's blatant and subtle dehumanization of these peers, and their propensity to bully these peers, were assessed. In the blatant dehumanization task, children rated how human-like/insect-like each peer was using a visual scale with a continuous slider. For subtle dehumanization, a mind perception task was used to assess the frequency and diversity of mental state words spontaneously used by children to describe videos associated with different peers. Children also completed questions assessing bullying tendency. By age 9-10 years, children dehumanized GN peers both blatantly and subtly, regardless of peer gender. Older children rated GN peers as less human-like/more insect-like than GC peers and also spontaneously attributed fewer and less diverse mental states to GN peers than to GC peers. According to multilevel moderated mediation analyses, blatant dehumanization partially explained older children's tendency to bully GN peers. Further research may develop interventions aimed at reducing children's dehumanization of GN peers.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1487301
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1487301
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/desc.70070
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Gender Identity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bullying
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Humanization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Peer Relationship
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Childrens Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Child Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Antisocial Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attribution Theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hong Kong
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Experimental Evidence of Peer Gender Nonconformity Triggering Dehumanization in Children: Developmental Trajectory, Form, and Link to Bullying
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Marshall M. C. Hui
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Karson T. F. Kung
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1363-755X
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1467-7687
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 28
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Developmental Science
              Type: main
ResultId 1