Abstract

AMAR, José J. et al. Social categorization and childhood cognition about poverty in children: An approach from the psychological essentialism. Investig. desarro. [online]. 2011, vol.19, n.1, pp. 116-139. ISSN 0121-3261.

We present preliminary results of a study about the early presence of essentialism as the basis for social categorization of poverty, in a purposive sample of 121 children's body five to seven years, from the high and low socioeconomic levels in Barranquilla, Colombia. After application of the scales, there was no evidence of essentialist thinking, and no significant differences associated with age, gender or socioeconomic status, except in the capacity of self-categorization. The results suggest that children identified poverty as a category, but they are based on external circumstances to establish the membership to the category.

Keywords : social categorization; psychological essentialism; poverty; childhood.