Age Group Differences in Children’s Right-Wing Authoritarianism in New Zealand and China
Ruffman, T. (University of Otago), Du, K. (University of Otago), Hill, S. (University of Otago)
We compared two cultures (New Zealand, China) using a new measure of right-wing authoritarianism for children. The child scales were based on the adult scales with items worded in understandable ways and rated on a five-point scale (-2 to +2). There were two versions (8 items and 19 items). Children were aged between 6 and 12 years (NZ: N = 75; China: N = 112). In both cultures there was acceptable inter-item reliability (alphas > .70). The data was analysed using a 2 (Country: NZ, China) x 6 (Age Group: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) analysis of variance. The effect for Country was not significant, F(1, 165) = 0.29, p = .593, ηp2 = .002, with similar levels of RWA in NZ and China, nor was the Country x Age Group interaction, F(5, 165) = 0.91, p = .475, partial eta squared = .027 (i.e., the decline in RWA with age was similar in the two countries). However, the effect for Age Group was significant, F(5, 165) = 12.73, p < .001, partial eta squared = .278, with a consistent decline in RWA with age (NZ: r = -.447, p < .001; China: r = -.661).
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Culture and Attitudes