This study examines how childhood emotions, traits, and behaviors influence concerns about gender inequality and racism in young adulthood. Drawing on insights from social psychology and political science, we examine whether behavioral traits measured in childhood - before political attitudes crystallize - are associated with discrimination concerns later in life. Specifically, we use data from the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal dataset and focus on three behavioral dimensions assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: internalizing problems (e.g., loneliness and frequent worry), externalizing problems (e.g., impulsivity and temperamental behavior), and prosocial traits (e.g., consideration for others’ feelings).
Our results show that internalizing behaviors in childhood are positively associated with later concerns about discrimination, whereas externalizing behaviors show a negative correlation. Finally, individuals with stronger prosocial traits are more concerned about racism. These patterns are particularly pronounced among native males, highlighting how social stratification influences these relationships. Importantly, we account for key confounding factors, including cognitive abilities and school-level variation, and demonstrate that these results are robust even when holding political interests constant through Average Controlled Direct Effect estimates.
By relying on teachers' assessments of children's behavior rather than parents' reports, we mitigate potential biases due to parental characteristics or political attitudes. Our findings suggest that childhood experiences shape political attitudes before political preferences crystallize and underscore the importance of understanding the developmental origins of discrimination concerns.