The antecedents of child training: a cross-cultural test of some hypotheses

Mothers of six cultures: antecedents of child rearing • John Wiley and Sons • New York • Published In • Pages: 164-175, 343-346 •
By Minturn, Leigh, Lambert, William

Hypothesis

Mothers who raise their children in multiple family dwellings rather than in private dwellings will tend to be more controlled emotionally, as evidenced by low levels of warmth, hostility, praise, and punishment.

Note

Nonsignificant trends: mothers in multiple-family dwellings have less warmth, hostility, praise and punishment, but they are more permissive (168). An alternative interpretation is that the multiple-dwelling mothers pursue a policy of laissez faire.

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Comparison of percentagesNot SupportedNot SignificantUNKNOWNUNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
Frequency Of Physical PunishmentDependentTechniques Of Socialization
Frequency Of PraiseDependentTechniques Of Socialization
General PermissivenessDependentTechniques Of Socialization
Hostility Of MotherDependentDifficult And Unusual Births, Child Care, Techniques Of Socialization
Multiple Vs. Single Family DwellingsIndependentDwellings, Household
Warmth Of MotherDependentInfant Care, Child Care, Techniques Of Socialization

Related Hypotheses

Main AuthorHypothesis
Ember, Carol R.In a multiple regression analysis comparing the strongest predictors of violence, warfare will be a significant predictor of homicide/assault (15).
Ember, Carol R.Frequency of warfare will be related to parental hostility, overall parental warmth, father-infant sleeping proximity, and socialization for aggression in boys in late childhood (632)
Whiting, John W.M.". . . societies with multiple-roomed dwellings usually have extended families, status distinctions, or both" (122)
Barry III, HerbertFrequent violent crimes by individuals are associated with the following five formative experiences: (1) The mother is not the principal caretaker during infancy; (2) The mother is the principal caretaker during early childhood; (3) Obedience by boys is weakly required during middle childhood; (4) Corporal punishment of boys is frequent during late childhood; (5) Premarital sexual intercourse by females is prohibited (71-72)
Minturn, Leigh". . . mothers who contribute to the family income, and who therefore have extensive duties other than child care, are less permissive about insubordination from their children than are mothers who are less burdened with chores that are unrelated to their children" (172)