Cultural Models, Socialization Goals, and Parenting Ethnotheories

Abstract

This study conceptualizes a cultural model of parenting. It is argued that cultural models are expressed in the degree of familism, which informs socialization goals that are embodied in parenting ethnotheories. Three cultural models were differentiated a priori: independent, interdependent, and autonomous-related. Samples were recruited that were expected to represent these cultural models: German, Euro-American, and Greek middle-class women representing the independent cultural model; Cameroonian Nso and Gujarati farming women representing the interdependent cultural model; and urban Indian, urban Chinese, urban Mexican, and urban Costa Rican women representing the autonomous-related model. These a priori classifications were confirmed with data that addressed different levels of the cultural models of parenting. The authors further confirmed that socialization goals mediate between broader sociocultural orientations (familism) and parenting ethnotheories concerning beliefs about good parenting. The data reveal that the model of autonomous relatedness needs further theoretical and empirical refinement. Problems with empirical studies comparing participants with very different lifestyles are discussed.

Measuring Parental Beliefs about the Developmental Significance of Preschool Children’s Daily Activities: the Children’s Daily Activities-Parental Beliefs Scale

“…With great caution at this stage of research it could be argued that in this case, the factor of "household and self care activities" may reflect an emphasis of Greek mothers on values such as respect and responsibility; a similar finding has been evidenced by previous research with Greek families (Tamis-Lemonda et al, 2002). However, the above values also appear to be intertwined with a tendency towards independence, which also appears to be characteristic of contemporary Greek society (Georgas, 2000;Keller et al, 2006;Tamis-Lemonda et al, 2002).…”

Human Development: The Role of Biology and Culture

“…Such trajectories have been described as moving towards the socialization of either autonomous/independent selves or towards interdependent selves. Findings in several cross-cultural investigations, carried out by Keller and her colleagues (Keller et al, 2006;Keller et al, 2007;Keller, Borke, Lamm, Lohaus, and Yovsi, 2011; see also Keller, 2007), are representative of these notions of different trajectories of development of the self. In these studies, Keller and colleagues analyzed general orientations concerning parental beliefs, and values among parents of several distinct cultures (German, Euro-American, Greek, Indian, Chinese, Mexican and Costa Rican).…”

Family of People With Spina Bifida: Goals and Strategies

“…It combines the features of goals related to both autonomy and interpersonal relationships (Kagitcibasi, 2007;Keller et al, 2006). This trend characterizes societies in transition between collectivism and individualism, such as those living in developing countries like Brazil.…”