In-group & Out-group: De rol van etniciteit bij directe en displaced agressie.

Background: Children and young adolescents in the Netherlands live in a multicultural society. Prejudice can occur between groups from different ethnic backgrounds and this may lead to aggression. Aim: The present study examined the link between direct and displaced aggression against members of the in-group versus the out-group, based on ethnicity. Method: Participants (N = 340) ranging between 10 and 15 years of age, were randomized to one of five experimental feedback conditions, varying in strength of negative feedback and type of aggression. In all conditions, participants participated in a fictitious online computer game (“Survivor”), in which they could aggress against peers who provoked them (direct aggression) and innocent peers (displaced aggression). Results: Dutch participants showed more direct aggression against the in-group than the out-group. No differences were found for displaced aggression. Conclusions: The effects of ethnicity only occurred for direct aggression. The findings are discussed in relation to social rejection and aggression against members of the in- and out-group