Intergenerational transmission of prejudice in immigrant-background families: The role of personal values in shaping attitudes toward Italians

While research on the transmission of ethnic prejudice against minority groups has grown in recent years across Western Europe, studies examining prejudice directed from minority toward majority groups remain scarce. Although different varibles (e.g., values, ideology, intergroup contact) have been investigated in relation to the transmission of prejudice against minority groups, surprisingly little attention has been paid to how these variables relate to prejudice against majority groups, despite their well-established relevance to the development of prejudicial attitudes.This study, conducted in Italy, explores the family dynamics that may contribute to the intergenerational transmission of prejudice toward Italians within immigrant-background families with adolescent children. Adolescents in a multicultural society like Italy often navigate social environments shaped by cultural diversity. Adolescence is a pivotal phase for identity formation, as personal values begin to crystallize and increasingly influence social attitudes and intergroup perceptions. Drawing on Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values and the distinction between blatant and subtle prejudice proposed by Pettigrew and Meertens, the present study preliminarily examines the personal values of adolescents with a migratory background. Adopting an intergenerational perspective, it seeks to identify the mechanisms underlying the transmission of prejudice between parents and their adolescent children. Specifically, it investigates the role of personal values in shaping intergroup attitudes, with a focus on how these may contribute to the expression of hostility through either overt or covert forms of prejudice. The study involved a sample of 390 parent–adolescent dyads from immigrant-background families living in Italy, who completed the Portrait Values Questionnaire and the Blatant and Subtle Prejudice Scale. The ongoing analyses aim to enhance understanding of the values of adolescents with an immigrant background and their role as key factors in the dynamics of prejudice transmission within the family. The study's findings, limitations, and practical implications will be discussed.