Dissertation Research: Culture and Normative Developmental Models

以往的跨文化研究表明， 意义系统在不同的发展中发挥作用 依恋行为的模式 然而，没有任何研究 直接评估文化意义的影响 父母对依恋行为的认知。 的 目前的两部分研究将比较低收入和中产阶级的盎格鲁 和波多黎各母亲对依恋行为的看法， 幼儿 第一项研究将调查母亲的土著 理想依恋行为与不理想依恋行为的概念。 与他们个人主义的文化取向相一致， 与波多黎各的母亲相比， 随着自主性和内部应对资源的发展， 子女 相反，反映他们的社会中心主义 取向，波多黎各的母亲比英国母亲更有可能 母亲强调孩子的素质发展 这对保持人际和谐很重要。 基于 母亲的反应，依恋行为的原型考虑 在每个文化群体中， 构建了 第二项研究将比较母亲们的看法 典型的学步儿童。 据预测， 评价幼儿最极端的沿着这些描述， 与他们的文化有关。 这项研究将有助于了解 社会文化意义系统对母亲的看法， 依恋行为 我们将了解到， 不同的社会文化背景， 童年的概念，以及这些概念是否会导致他们 对同一个孩子的行为做出不同的评价。 通过这个 调查，社会文化因素的模式，规范 行为将变得更加明显， 孩子的成长将更加丰富。

Previous cross-cultural studies have suggested that cultural meaning systems play a role in the development of differing patterns of attachment behavior. However, no research has been conducted directly assessing the impact of cultural meaning systems on parents perceptions of attachment behavior. The present two-part study will compare lower- and middle-class Anglo and Puerto Rican mothers'views of attachment behavior in toddlers. The first study will examine mothers' indigenous concepts of desirable versus undesirable attachment behavior. Consistent with their individualistic cultural orientation, Anglo mothers are more likely than Puerto Rican mothers to be concerned with the development of autonomy and internal coping resources in their children. In contrast, reflecting their sociocentric orientation, Puerto Rican mothers are more likely than Anglo mothers to emphasize their children's development of qualities important in maintaining interpersonal harmony. Based on mothers' responses, prototypes of attachment behavior considered desirable and undesirable in each cultural group will be constructed. The second study will compare mothers' perceptions of the prototypical toddlers. It is predicted that mothers will rate the toddlers most extremely along these descriptors which are relevant to their culture. This research will contribute to an understanding of the impact of sociocultural meaning systems on mothers' perceptions of attachment behavior. We will learn whether mothers from different sociocultural backgrounds hold contrasting normative conceptions of childhood, and whether these conceptions lead them to evaluate the same child behaviors differently. Through this investigation, the sociocultural elements in models of normative behavior will be made more apparent, and prevailing models of child development will be enriched.