Final answer:
Children's development of rules for categorizing people in developmental intergroup theory is influenced by societal observations, aligning with the concept of observational learning from social learning theory. Kids internalize societal norms and behaviors by watching others and noting the outcomes of these behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to developmental intergroup theory, one factor that influences children's development of rules for categorizing people is observation of society's use of categories. This process is similar to observational learning proposed by social learning theory.
Observational learning is a concept where children learn behaviors and norms by observing the actions of others and the consequences of those actions. This is supported by Bandura's idea that whether we choose to imitate a model's behavior depends on whether we see the model reinforced or punished.
This concept is evident in many forms, such as through media, education, and the socialization process within different societal structures such as family and school.
For instance, children are socialized to conform to various societal norms, including those related to race, social class, and gender, which can perpetuate class systems or racial stereotypes. Presence of these categories in everyday life and their endorsement by society leads to the internalization of these categories by children.
Developmental intergroup theory suggests that children actively learn these categorizations from observing society and thus develop their own sense of identity and understanding of social norms.