To explore differences in concepts about development, mothers in two cultural groups were interviewed to determine: (a) their developmental timetables (the ages at which they expected various skills to appear); (b) the extent to which they taught various skills before school; and (c) the extent to which they perceived several qualities, once established, as stable over time. Variables were the child's gender, the child's birth order (first or not first to begin school), and the mother's ethnic background (Australian-born or Lebanese-born). Gender and birth order showed minimal effects; ethnicity had a strong effect in areas (a) and (b) but not (c). The results bring out the content of mothers' ideas, raise questions about factors affecting this content, and point to some aspects of mothers' ideas as inter-related.

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Theoretical and methodological paradigms used by researchers and applied workers to conceptualise domestic violence are examined, with particular emphasis on the implications for social action. It is argued that the gender assumptions underlying the theoretical framework adopted are often implicit, unacknowledged, and that when they assume equal power between men and women may do a disservice to female victims. We maintain that the consequence of discrepant approaches of professionals encountering domestic violence is insufficient dialogue between researchers and applied workers, reducing the potential for effective social remedy. Some resolutions of this dilemma are proposed; specifically, these concern the adoption of feminist paradigms, the importance of making victims more visible, and empowering women to overcome violent oppression.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not parents' beliefs about influence vary according to domain of development, and as a function of parental experience. Sixty married couples were interviewed about their beliefs, with reference to their eldest child (aged 4, 7, or 10 years). Parents estimated the degree of influence they as parents, and teachers, had over 15 attributes covering social and cognitive behaviours. These data were analysed for variations according to parent gender, child gender and age of eldest child. The variable of domain (cognitive vs. social development) was significant for beliefs about influence, interacting with parent gender. No significant effects were found for child gender or age of eldest child. The lack of child effects suggests only limited support for the argument that differential experience, represented by these variables, is a critical base for parents' beliefs. One alternative explanation is that parents' beliefs also operate on a functional basis. Parents may need to believe that they have influence (and that their influence is important) in order to continue the task of effective parenting, especially in the social domain for which they are most held responsible.