THE ROLE OF SECOND LANGUAGE, INHIBITORY CONTROL AND THEORY OF MIND ON BILINGUAL PRESCHOOL CHILDREN’S RACIAL PREFERENCE IN HELPING BEHAVIOUR

Abstract

The present study examined the racial preference that bilingually exposed children demonstrate when selecting who they should help. We investigated various factors that have been known to be implicated by bilingualism and have a role in influencing racial preference, such as second language background, inhibitory control and Theory of Mind. It was hypothesised that each of these factors will significantly predict bilingually exposed children’s racial preference in helping behaviour. Competencies on these factors were assessed using a wide array of tasks while helping behaviour was examined through assessing participants’ tendencies to share resources with their own race or the other race in hypothetical situations. Results showed that while second language background and Theory of Mind did not significantly predict racial preference in helping behaviour, inhibitory control was a significant predictor. In particular, bilingually exposed children’s greater inhibitory control predicted greater preference for their own race. These findings are contrary to past studies which established associations between higher inhibitory control and lowered racial bias, suggesting that inhibitory control among bilingually exposed children exerts complex influence on their racial preference.