ABSTRACT
This chapter describes four different theoretical approaches, which each play a role in conceptualizing the perception and impact of discrimination: ecological theories, social cognitive theory, social identity theory, and developmental intergroup theory. The theoretical framework that underlies is bio ecological theory. Social identity theory (SIT), a prominent theory imported from social psychology, is influential in explaining why discrimination on the basis of social group membership is particularly harmful to individual children and adolescents. Finally, developmental intergroup theory (DIT), which is a theory about how children develop stereotypes and prejudice, is relevant to discrimination in childhood for several reasons. Cognitive developmental changes, such as the developing ability to classify objects and people into categories, have been shown to shape how children can perceive and understand stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Finally, social groups are an integral part of how children think about themselves and others. Gender and ethnicity are the first social groups to be integrated into the self-concept.
