National identification and intergroup evaluations in Dutch children

This study conducted among Dutch children age 10–12, focuses on friendships with Dutch and other nationality contemporaries. The study was designed to test among older children several hypotheses derived from intergroup theory. Particular attention is paid to the self‐affective consequences of group evaluations. It is found that children make a clear distinction between friendships with own and other nationalities. In addition, stronger national identification is related to less social distance towards Dutch contemporaries and to more social distance towards other nationalities. Furthermore, own group ratings in particular had a self‐enhancing effect among children scoring high on national identification; children indicating little social distance towards the own group reported more positive momentary self‐feelings after the group evaluations. It is concluded that different psychological mechanisms determine the own group and other group aspects of national differentiation.