A social cognitive approach for using racially diverse entertainment media to improve children’s intergroup socialization

Early theorists understood the family as a key institution in the production of gender and sexuality. In this paper, I trace the development of this line of thought and review parents' role in shaping children's gender and sexuality over the life course. I first describe the three most prominent theoretical frameworks used to locate parents in these studies: psychoanalysis, socialization, and interactional approaches. In doing so, I illuminate the contributions of each theory to sociological thought on children's gender and sexuality while pointing to weaknesses with psychoanalysis and socialization. I then discuss how parents influence children's development and performance of gender and heterosexuality, paying attention to variations based on race, class, gender, and sexuality. Based on the current state of the literature, I suggest that we sociologists should diversify our methodological approaches in this area, attend to how changes in families correspond to changes in parents' role in shaping children's gender and sexuality, and grapple with how children's performances of gender and sexuality influence parents' performances of gender and sexuality.

The modern world offers increased connectivity and multiculturism. In this connected world, individuals are frequently granted the opportunity to interact with others from distinct social, ethnic, and religious groups in everyday life. A large body of research suggests that intergroup contact across distinct groups will reduce prejudices and intergroup biases. However, despite the increased opportunity for prejudice- reducing intergroup contact, prejudices remain high in multicultural societies. In exploring this apparent contradiction, recent research suggests that, despite increased opportunities for intergroup contact, many people selectively interact with members from their ingroup. Thus, intergroup avoidance can impede progress in social cohesion and intergroup harmony by preventing beneficial encounters taking place. Previous research has found intergroup anxiety, or the expectation that outgroup members pose a threat to an individual and their ingroup, is strongly and reliably linked to avoidant behaviours. In turn, the most efficacious way to reduce anxiety is through intergroup contact. The problem of intergroup avoidance is therefore circular, where the best way to reduce avoidance is to promote approach behaviours by those who are avoidant. Reducing intergroup anxiety using techniques more likely to be engaged with could interrupt this circular problem, thereby reducing intergroup avoidance. This thesis comprises two theoretical reviews, one systematic review (k = 72), four survey-based studies (N = 2,095) and one experiment (N = 82), that collectively seek to further our understanding of, and provide viable remedies for intergroup anxiety and avoidance to enhance intergroup relations. More specifically, the thesis aims to (1) integrate associative learning and social psychological theories to explain the formation of intergroup anxiety, (2) understand how intergroup anxiety can contribute to a deterioration in intergroup relations, through intergroup avoidance, and; (3) provide an acceptable form of intergroup contact using virtual reality technology. The initial theoretical and empirical work advanced understanding of the formation, measurement, and outcomes of intergroup anxiety. It was argued that intergroup and clinical anxiety share similar properties and are formed through the same processes. Aversive conditioning processes have been observed in the laboratory and used to explain the formation of clinical anxiety. More recently, these same processes have been shown to contribute to intergroup anxiety. To measure intergroup anxiety in this thesis, a new self-report scale was created that integrated common laboratory markers of anxiety (physiological reactivity) with typical self-report inventories. In three studies, the construct and convergent validity of the Cognitive, Affective, and Physiological Intergroup Anxiety (CAP-IA) scale was supported. This new scale could also be utilised in future research. To test the proposition that aversive conditioning processes contribute to intergroup anxiety, a retrospective method was used where participants described their first negative encounter with an outgroup member. Congruent with aversive conditioning processes, participants who reported an unpleasant event with an outgroup member reported more fear during the encounter than did those who did not report experiencing an unpleasant event. Additionally, intergroup fear indirectly predicted greater outgroup avoidance through elevated intergroup anxiety. These results showed that aversive conditioning can contribute to the formation of intergroup anxiety outside the laboratory. Subsequent work attempted to develop an accepted and efficacious form of indirect intergroup contact using virtual reality. In a theoretical review, I advanced a temporal model of acceptability for contact-based interventions, which argued that individuals would prefer institutionally supported and indirect intergroup contact, thereby making intergroup avoidance less likely. All forms of indirect contact were argued to have these benefits, but virtual reality intergroup contact (VRIC) was introduced as a novel indirect contact strategy because it could offer distinct benefits over existing indirect contact strategies, including increased interactivity and presence. Survey-based studies were conducted to examine the acceptability of VRIC and did not provide clear evidence that individuals would rather engage in VRIC than face-to-face intergroup contact. Furthermore, the final experimental study of this thesis did not find brief exposure to outgroup members through immersive media improved intergroup relations. Nevertheless, this work was the first to empirically assess the acceptability of an indirect contact strategy and demonstrated that immersive virtual exposure to outgroup members elicits greater physiological responses than static-images of the same. Taken together, the findings from the current thesis provide a novel investigation of the formation of intergroup anxiety and avoidance from a learning perspective. Furthermore, the thesis provides several approaches to reduce intergroup avoidance. These include decreasing intergroup anxiety, providing institutionally supported interventions, and offering indirect contact strategies for individuals high in intergroup anxiety. The continuing levels of prejudice around the world provide an impetus to break down barriers preventing positive and intimate interactions between members of distinct groups. By examining how intergroup avoidance is formed and reduced, this body of work provides new avenues for researchers and interventionists to work toward decreased segregation and greater intergroup harmony.

Islamic family education has an important role in shaping children's character. The spiritual and moral values taught in an Islamic family environment become the main foundation in shaping good character in children. This article aims to explore the influence of Islamic family education on children's character formation. Through the literature study method, data was collected to analyse the Islamic values emphasised in family education and their impact on children's character. The results show that Islamic family education makes a positive contribution in shaping children's character, including values such as sincerity, honesty, patience and caring. In conclusion, Islamic family education has a significant role in shaping children's character in accordance with the teachings of Islam.

Emerging evidence suggests that periconceptional nutrition could significantly impact children’s brain development. Few studies have explored the effect of maternal carbohydrate intake on offspring’s cognitive outcomes. Evidence suggests poor glycemic control during pregnancy may impair neurodevelopment. Optimizing maternal carbohydrate intake during pregnancy by focusing on low to moderate glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) foods may reduce these risks. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between maternal carbohydrate intake, dietary GI, and GL during first and third trimesters of pregnancy and children’s neurodevelopment in the early postnatal period and preschool years. The study included 420 mother-child pairs from the ECLIPSES cohort. Maternal carbohydrate intake, GI, and GL were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire during the first and third trimesters. Children’s neurodevelopment was assessed at 40 days of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and at 4 years using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence and the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Maternal carbohydrate intake, GI, and GL were negatively associated with expressive language development in the early postnatal period (P < 0.05). Children of mothers in the highest GL tertile during early pregnancy showed lower motor development at 40 days (β coefficient [95% CI] = −3.517 [−6.898, −0.135], P-trend 0.041). Higher maternal carbohydrate consumption and GL throughout pregnancy were linked to lower processing speed, intelligence quotient, nonverbal skills, and visuomotor precision at preschool age (all P-trend < 0.05).Conclusion: The quantity and quality of maternal carbohydrate intake, particularly GL, influence children’s neurodevelopment, including language, motor skills, processing speed, nonverbal abilities, overall intellectual functions, and visuomotor precision, highlighting the need for more refined dietary recommendations during pregnancy. What is known:• Maternal nutrition plays a critical role in shaping children'’s brain health.• Poor maternal glycemic control has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, but the specific impact of maternal carbohydrate quantity and quality remains unclear.What is New:• The quantity and quality of maternal carbohydrate intake influence children'’s neurodevelopment in early life.• These findings support the need for tailored dietary recommendations during pregnancy focusing on carbohydrate quantity and quality to optimize neurodevelopmental outcomes.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00431-025-06519-5.

Industrial era 4.0 provides accessibility to smartphone use on early childhood. The negative or positive impact depending on how parents introduce smartphones to children through parental mediation strategies. Parents’ character plays a role in shaping children’s behavior and discipline, especially parents with mindful parenting. This study aims to examine the relationship between mindful parenting and parental mediation from the psychological and Islamic perspective. We used a mixed method with sequential explanatory design. Mindfulness in Parenting Questionnaire (MIPQ) and Parental Mediation Questionnaire (PMQ) was used as measuring instrument with a total of 131 parents who have children aged 3-6 years participated in this study. The results show that mindful parenting correlates significantly to the active mediation strategy while its relationship was weak with restrictive mediation. In the Islamic perspective, when parents rely on all responsibilities and rights that must be given to children with the intention of worshiping Allah, parents will apply the rules to their children according to Islamic law.Industrial era 4.0 provides accessibility to smartphone use on early childhood. The negative or positive impact depending on how parents introduce smartphones to children through parental mediation strategies. Parents’ character plays a role in shaping children’s behavior and discipline, especially parents with mindful parenting. This study aims to examine the relationship between mindful parenting and parental mediation from the psychological and Islamic perspective. We used a mixed method with sequential explanatory design. Mindfulness in Parenting Questionnaire (MIPQ) and Parental Mediation Questionnaire (PMQ) was used as measuring instrument with a total of 131 parents who have children aged 3-6 years participated in this study. The results show that mindful parenting correlates significantly to the active mediation strategy while its relationship was weak with restrictive mediation. In the Islamic perspective, when parents rely on all responsibilities and rights that must be given to children with the intention of worshiping Allah, parents will apply the rules to their children according to Islamic law.

It is a well-known fact that the family environment plays a key role in shaping children’scorrect social attitudes. Therefore, the family environment is the most commonsource of demoralization among minors. However, during the forty years of the Act ofOctober 26, 1982 on proceedings in juvenile cases, the potential of this Act to influencethe family environment of minors was not used. In turn, the Act of June 9, 2022on the support and social rehabilitation of minors does not change much in terms oflegal possibilities of simultaneous influence on minors and their family environment.However, the opportunities it offers in this regard should be recognized and exploited.

The school environment plays a vital role in shaping children's health and well-being. Nutrition education supports health promotion and disease prevention; however, it is unclear how comprehensive curricula are in the content they cover. This study explored the content of K-12 nutrition curricula in US public schools. We analyzed nutrition education curricula from the 2023-2024 school year across a target sample of 50 states. Materials were collected through online searches and phone calls to districts and schools. We employed content analysis to assess nutrition concepts and modes of curriculum delivery, using a codebook to systematically code the curricula. We obtained 110 curricula across 38 states. Common concepts included macronutrients (54.5%), micronutrients (55.4%), food groups (58%), and the benefits of good nutrition (69%). Fewer curricula addressed consequences of poor nutrition (44.5%) or behavioral changes like portion size (38.1%). Most curricula (87.2%) used didactic methods, with only 19.5% incorporating hands-on activities. Broader topics such as environmental impacts of food choices (17.2%) were less common. Nutrition education plays a critical role in shaping children's long-term health outcomes; however, challenges remain in ensuring consistent and high-quality instruction. Nutrition education in the US focuses on core nutrition concepts and often relies on didactic methods, with limited hands-on activities. This highlights the need for more engaging, standardized programs.

Parent-child reciprocity plays a signicant role in shaping children's social interaction skills. The development of conflict management skills throughout childhood and adolescence impacts the individual's social adjustment. The increase in conflictual interaction with one's parents during adolescence affects the transformation of parent-adolescent interaction into a more mutual, equal relationship. Adolescents with ASD and their parents may struggle in this type of interaction due to the adolescents' social and regulatory impairments, in addition to their dependence on their parents' involvement and guidance. The current study aimed to evaluate differences in the way adolescents with and without ASD interact with their parents in a conflictual situation. In addition, the association between parent-adolescent reciprocity and the adolescent's social interaction with an unfamiliar peer was examined in the ASD group. Thirty adolescents with ASD and their parents and 30 typically developing (TD) controls were assessed during a standardized conflict interaction. In addition, adolescents with ASD took part in a conversation with an unfamiliar peer. Interactions were videotaped and coded. Results revealed that during the conflictual interaction, compared to their TD peers, adolescents with ASD were more involved in the conversation and less withdrawn from the parent, while their parents were more sensitive and less intrusive toward them. Parent-adolescent reciprocity was poorer in the ASD (compared to the TD) dyad and was positively associated with the adolescents' social-conversational skills with a peer. These findings emphasize the different developmental trajectory parent-adolescent relationship takes in adolescents with ASD, and its impact on the adolescent's social skills. Autism Res 2019, 12: 263-273 © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: The development of conflict management skills throughout childhood and adolescence impacts the individual's social adjustment. The ability of parents to engage in reciprocal social interaction with the children plays a significant role in shaping children's social interaction skills with peers and with other adults. The transition to adolescence is characterized by an increase in conflictual interaction with one's parents, which transforms the interaction between adolescents and their parents into a more mutual, equal relationship. Adolescents with ASD and their parents may struggle in this type of interaction due to the adolescents' social and emotional difficulties, and their dependence on their parents' involvement and guidance. However, the nature of parent-adolescent interaction, and particularly conflict management has rarely been studied. This study evaluated the way parents and their adolescents with ASD interact in a conflictual conversation, compared to parents and their typically developing adolescents. In addition, we examined how this type of interaction associated with adolescents' social conversation skills with a peer, in the ASD group. A videotaped interaction between adolescents and their parents indicated that parents and their adolescents with ASD engaged more positively in the conflict, but were less reciprocal with each other. In addition, higher reciprocity among parents and their adolescents with ASD was associated with better conversation skills with an unfamiliar peer. These findings demonstrate the different ways parent-adolescent relationships evolve in families affected by ASD, and the important role parents have in shaping the adolescent's social communication skills.

Morality and gender are intersecting realms of human thought and behavior. Reasoning and action at their intersection (e.g., views of women’s rights legislation) carry important consequences for societies, communities, and individual lives. In this chapter, the authors argue that children’s developing views of morality and gender reciprocally shape one another in important and underexplored ways. The chapter begins with a brief history of psychological theory and research at the intersection of morality and gender and suggests reasons for the historical failure to view gender attitudes through moral lenses. The authors then describe reasons for expecting morality to play an important role in shaping children’s developing gender attitudes and, reciprocally, for gender attitudes to play an important role in shaping children’s developing moral values. The authors next illustrate the importance and relevance of these ideas by discussing two topics at the center of contentious debate in the United States concerning ethical policy and practice: treatment of gender nonconformity and gender-segregated schooling. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research.

Intergroup anxiety occurs when people anticipate or engage in intergroup interactions. Intergroup anxiety is more specific than social anxiety because it is activated during intergroup contexts and elicited by specific outgroups or by outgroups in general. Research on intergroup anxiety works to understand why intergroup interactions are typically more complex and difficult than interactions with ingroup members. The Intergroup Anxiety Scale, developed by Walter Stephan and Cookie Stephan, is a 10-item instrument and is the most commonly used and adapted measure of generalized intergroup anxiety. Intergroup anxiety has trait-based components such that it may be an enduring, cross-situational feature of an individual’s feelings about an outgroup or it may vary based on the situation and specific intergroup encounter. State-like qualities of intergroup anxiety are assessed in response to what is occurring during actual intergroup interactions. Cognitions, negative affect, and emotions about the outgroup need to be altered and contact with outgroup members increased if intergroup anxiety is to be reduced.

The current study explored the fantasy-oriented content in children’s picture books to better understand picture books’ role in shaping children’s experiences with fantasy. Through a content analysis of 100 picture books, the frequency and use of fantasy were examined in the books’ events, illustrations, and text. Trends were also examined by book genre (concept books versus storybooks) to explore the use of fantasy-oriented content when depicting real-world information. Findings revealed that the inclusion and use of fantasy varied across the events, illustrations, and text, creating multiple contexts in which children must evaluate fantasy. The inclusion of fantasy also varied by book genre: Whereas both genres included ample fantasy, storybooks included fantasy that was more central to the events and concept books used fantasy primarily as decorative. Implications for how children process fantasy in picture books are discussed.

Objective. Present study attempted to assess problematic internet use among university students as affectedby parent-adolescent relationships and escape motive; such that, escape motive mediates the relationshipbetween parent-adolescent relationship and problematic internet use. Method. Data were collected through purposive sampling technique from students (N = 585, M = 21.62years) in public and private universities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Results. It was conceptualized that secure parent-adolescent relationship negatively associates with escapemotive and problematic internet use, whereas escape motive positively associates with problematic internetuse. Gender was added to the model as a covariate. Mediation analysis demonstrated that escape motivesignificantly mediated association between secure parent-adolescent relationship and problematic internet useirrespective of an individual’s gender (p &lt; .001). Secure parent-adolescent relationship was negativelyassociated with low escape motive and problematic internet use. Implications. Study presented empirical evidence for parents’ role in shaping children’s behaviours.Secure parent-adolescent relationship help reduce development of escape motive which is associated toproblematic internet use among university students. It could help develop an intervention for addressingescape motive and hence reducing the problematic internet use.

The impact of television advertising on children's buying behavior is an important topic of study, particularly in the context of Karachi. This study utilizes applied research methods to investigate the role of parental perception as a moderator of the impact of advertising and peer influence on children's purchasing decisions. While previous research has focused on parental influence in a broader sense, this study fills a gap by specifically examining the moderating effect of parental perception. The study collects data from parents in Karachi to assess their perceptions of advertisements and their influence on their children's purchasing decisions. The findings reveal that parental perception plays a significant role in shaping children's buying behavior. Specifically, parental perception moderates the impact of advertising and peer influence on children's purchasing decisions. This finding emphasizes the importance of understanding the role of parental perception in shaping children's consumer behavior. This paper contributes to the literature on children's consumer behavior by highlighting the importance of parental perception as a key factor in understanding the mechanisms that shape children's purchasing decisions. Furthermore, the empirical evidence provided by this study offers insights for practitioners seeking to develop effective marketing strategies targeting children and their parents in Karachi. By understanding the moderating role of parental perception, marketers can develop strategies that are more effective in influencing children's buying behavior.

This study was motivated by the importance of character education from an early age, particularly within non-formal educational institutions such as Qur'anic Education Centers (TPQ). TPQs play a strategic role in shaping children's morals and character through religious value-based learning activities. The purpose of this research is to explore the role of TPQ teachers in shaping children's character, examine the effectiveness of character-oriented learning activities, and analyse how the integration of educational technology supports the process. This research used a descriptive qualitative method with a phenomenological approach as proposed by John W. Creswell. The research subjects were the teachers at TPQ An-Nur Kajen. Data were collected through interviews and observation, and analysed using phenomenological steps including meaning-making, theme identification, and essence description. The findings reveal that TPQ teachers act as mentors, character builders, and collaborators with parents. Religious activities, group discussions, and educational games serve as effective tools in shaping children's character. Moreover, the integration of educational technology such as visual media, Qur'an learning apps, and interactive digital games contributes significantly to enhancing children's motivation and engagement. The study concludes that character education in TPQ will be more effective when implemented collaboratively and supported by relevant educational technology.

The role of parents in supporting children's learning in the home environment has a substantial impact on children's academic, emotional, and social progress. Starting from the early stages of development, parents' involvement in supporting their children's learning process at home, along with the strategies they implement, plays a crucial role in achieving this goal efficiently. This research applies the literature study method to explore how parents inspire their children to study at home. The research results emphasize the urgency of the role of parents in triggering children's enthusiasm for learning in the home environment. They are not only providers of learning materials, but also as models and facilitators who influence their children's attitudes and enthusiasm for learning. These findings are in line with learning motivation theories which highlight the influence of social and environmental factors in shaping children's enthusiasm for learning internally and externally. Thus, this research emphasizes that parents have an important role in shaping children's learning attitudes and behavior at home. Therefore, it is important for parents to understand their role in stimulating children's enthusiasm for learning at home and to get support in improving the skills needed in this regard.purpose.