No abstract

This project analyzed how "New Momism" (Douglas and Michaels 2004) is perpetuated among contemporary mothers. Previous work has argued that New Momism is most powerfully represented through the media. Our results indicate that New Momism is also practiced intensively on an interpersonal level via Michel Foucault's (1975) Panoptic stage of punishment: post-structuralist surveillance. We analyzed data from a snowball sample of 323 mothers through an online survey tool. Results indicate that while the media remains an important influence, the strongest predictors of New Momism are surveillance of fellow moms and surveillance of self through guilt. Results are discussed in light of Foucault's conceptualization of post-structuralist surveillance.

Both quantitative and qualitative evidence were provided for the support of role congruity theory.