Toward a contextualized social developmental account of children’s group dynamics: the developmental model of subjective group dynamics

In this chapter we review evidence for a social developmental framework that draws together intergroup and intragroup processes to understand aspects of social inclusion and exclusion. Psychological research on children’s inclusion and exclusion in social relationships spans a variety of manifestations including peer acceptance and rejection (Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 2006), bullying (Jones, Manstead, & Livingstone, 2011), prejudice (Aboud, 1988; Nesdale, 2008), exchange and fairness (Fehr, Bernhard, & Rockenbach, 2008), implicit biases following social categorisation (Dunham, & Emory, 2014), intergroup contact (Abbott, & Cameron, 2014), conformity (Courriveau, & Harris, 2010; Prinstein & Dodge, 2008), recognition of social norms (Schmidt, Rakoczy, & Tomasello, 2011; Smetana, 2006) and awareness of social audiences (Rutland, Cameron, Milne, & McGeorge, 2005). Our premise is that children’s attitudes and behavior as members of groups can be understood better by considering how children face the challenge of understanding social relations in their social context. Building this contextualized social developmental account (e.g., Abrams, Rutland, Palmer, & Purewal, 2014) involves investigating the meanings children attach to their social judgments and actions as group members (Rhodes, 2012). This account is inspired by a nonreductionist meta-theory shared by the social identity approach to intergroup relations (Abrams, & Hogg, 2004) and a developmental social psychological approach that treats developmental processes as integral, rather than merely reactive, to cultural continuity and change (Durkin, 1995). Children and their groups are embedded in various social hierarchies and structures. We believe that children’s emerging understanding of how these structures connect also equips them to influence and shape their personal and collective situation