Continuity in Parenting Strategies: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

摘要

This prospective longitudinal study is aimed at contributing to the understanding of culturaldiversity concerning maternal parenting behaviors and conversational styles on one hand andcontinuity in parenting strategies on the other hand. It could be demonstrated that Germanmiddle-class families from Berlin and Indian Hindu middle-class families from Delhi representtwo different cultural environments embodying different parenting strategies. The Berlin mothersfocus on the cultural model of independence, whereas the Delhi mothers focus on the culturalmodel of autonomous relatedness. These different orientations are expressed in nonverbal andconversational behaviors with 3-month-old babies as well as in the play styles with I 9-month-old toddlers. It could also be demonstrated that the parenting styles form continuous socializationenvironments. Especially the conversation styles that mothers use while talking to their 3-month-old babies were good predictors for the play styles with their 19-month-old toddlers. The resultsare discussed with an emphasis on parenting strategies as continuous and consistent cultural projects.