Children in ethnically diverse classrooms and those with cross-ethnic friendships excel at understanding others' minds

Rory Devine; Imogen Grumley Traynor; Luca Ronchi; Serena Lecce

doi:10.1111/cdev.14085

Children in ethnically diverse classrooms and those with cross-ethnic friendships excel at understanding others' minds

Rory Devine^*, Imogen Grumley Traynor, Luca Ronchi, Serena Lecce

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

This study examined the link between classroom ethnic diversity, cross‐ethnic friendships, and children's theory of mind. In total, 730 children in the United Kingdom (54.7% girls, 51.5% White) aged 8 to 13 years completed measures of theory of mind in 2019/2020. Controlling for verbal ability, executive function, peer social preference, and teacher‐reported demographic characteristics, greater classroom ethnic diversity provided opportunities for cross‐ethnic friendships, and children with cross‐ethnic friendships performed better than peers without cross‐ethnic friendships on theory of mind. These results extend accounts of intergroup contact by using direct assessments of children's theory of mind and advance social accounts of theory of mind by demonstrating how experiences outside the family are linked with theory of mind.

Original language	English
Number of pages	15
Journal	Child Development
Early online date	1 Mar 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14085
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 1 Mar 2024

Bibliographical note

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The project was funded through a Wellcome Trust grant to Rory T. Devine. We wish to thank Irene Luque Aguilera and Tom Willetts for their assistance with data collection and scoring.

Keywords

Theory of Mind
Middle Childhood
Adolescence
Ethnicity
Cross-Ethnic Friendship
Intergroup Contact
Diversity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1111/cdev.14085Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

DevineR2024ChildrenFinal published version, 1.1 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

2 Article

Machine learning and deep learning systems for automated measurement of ‘advanced’ theory of mind: reliability and validity in children and adolescents
Devine, R. T., Kovatchev, V., Grumley Traynor, I., Smith, P. & Lee, M., 28 Feb 2023, In: Psychological Assessment. 35, 2, p. 165-177 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
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Theory of mind at school: academic outcomes and the influence of the school context
Lecce, S. & Devine, R. T., 11 Oct 2021, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Infant and Child Development. e2274.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
190 Downloads (Pure)

1 Finished

Mindreading, Psychopathological and Social Adjustment in Middle Childhood
Devine, R.
THE WELLCOME TRUST
1/08/19 → 31/01/22
Project: Research

Cite this

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abstract = "This study examined the link between classroom ethnic diversity, cross‐ethnic friendships, and children's theory of mind. In total, 730 children in the United Kingdom (54.7% girls, 51.5% White) aged 8 to 13 years completed measures of theory of mind in 2019/2020. Controlling for verbal ability, executive function, peer social preference, and teacher‐reported demographic characteristics, greater classroom ethnic diversity provided opportunities for cross‐ethnic friendships, and children with cross‐ethnic friendships performed better than peers without cross‐ethnic friendships on theory of mind. These results extend accounts of intergroup contact by using direct assessments of children's theory of mind and advance social accounts of theory of mind by demonstrating how experiences outside the family are linked with theory of mind.",

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KW - Adolescence

KW - Ethnicity

KW - Cross-Ethnic Friendship

KW - Intergroup Contact

KW - Diversity

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Children in ethnically diverse classrooms and those with cross-ethnic friendships excel at understanding others' minds

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Machine learning and deep learning systems for automated measurement of ‘advanced’ theory of mind: reliability and validity in children and adolescents

Theory of mind at school: academic outcomes and the influence of the school context

Projects

Mindreading, Psychopathological and Social Adjustment in Middle Childhood

Cite this