Effects of attire on school age children’s perception of authority

• Grant number: 17/18138-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2017
• End date: November 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Débora de Hollanda Souza
• Grantee: Laura Vieira Giroto
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The number of studies on the development of the concept of authority is still limited, in particular, there are few national studies on the attribution of authority status in children at different ages. In previous studies, researchers have been interested in investigating the variables that might influence decisions about the existence and nature of one's authority, such as social status, age, expertise and the context in which one individual may or may not exert such authority. One variable, however, remains unexplored by researchers: their attire. Based on evidence suggesting that the way people dress influence other people's judgments, it is likely that children take into consideration one's attire to determine authority status. The present study aims to contribute in this direction by investigating the development of the concept of authority in a sample of 7- and 8-year-old Brazilian children. The research question is whether children take into consideration an individual's attire in order to attribute an authority status and to decide on whom they should obey. More specifically, when facing an individual dressed formally and another dressed informally, and both are providing distinct orders to a child on a video, what will participants recommend to the child on the video about whom they should obey? (AU)