Strength of ingroup identity and prosociality in a legacy of conflict: the effects of cost and recipient identity

Children are sensitive to and recognize social categories (Aboud, 1988), including ethno-religious categories (e.g., Dautel, Maloku, Tomovska Misoska, & Taylor, 2020; Taylor, Dautel, & Rylander, 2020). Where ethno-religious groups have been in conflict with one another, attachment to ethno-religious identity can be associated with negative intergroup behaviours, even in childhood (Shamoa-Nir et al., 2021). Understanding the association between strength of ethno-religious identity and outgroup prosociality has implications for continued peace building. Data was collected in three societies (Northern Ireland/NI, Republic of North Macedonia/RNM, Croatia) where past conflict had occurred between ethno-religious rival groups (Catholics/Protestants, Macedonians/Albanians, Croatians/Serbians. Participants were 7-11-year-olds (NI, n = 51, M = 9.12, SD = 1.29; RNM, n = 183, M = 9.07, SD = 1.33; Croatia, n = 81, M = 9.00, SD = 1.26), who were born following a generation of peace. We examined children's prosocial behaviour within the legacy of conflict by asking whether they reported greater prosociality towards a general target compared to a member of the rival ethno-religious group. We also examined their outgroup directed prosociality as a function of cost (i.e. whether they were required to personally sacrifice rewards to help an outgroup member). Finally, we examined the effects of strength of ingroup identity and minority/majority status. Children’s prosociality varied as a function of target, cost, ingroup identity and status.