ETICS AND EMICS OF CHILD-REARING
LECTURE OUTLINE
Introduction: Etics and Emics of Child-rearingEtics: Parental-Acceptance-Rejection Theory (Rohner)
* PAR model* How PAR is studied* Key issues* PAR and personality* PAR and coping* Consequences of PAR*Evaluation of PAR
Lecture Outline (cont)
Emics: Amae* The anatomy of dependence (Doi)
* Yamaguichi’s theorizing on amae
* Conceptual elaboration and ecological validity
* Amae and dependence
* Amae and attachment
Lecture Outline (cont)
Emics: Filial piety (Ho)* Characteristics* Measurement* Determinants* Filial attitudes and behaviours* Filial piety, child-rearing and psychological
outcomes
Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory
Convergence of Methodologies
Case Study Comparative
Holocultural
Convergence of Methodologies
PAR ITEMSMy mother…..
Pays no attention to meEnjoys having me aroundSees me as a big nuisanceHugs and kisses me when I am goodYells at me when she is angry
Subtheories
Personality subtheoryWhat happens to children who perceive themselvees to be loved or unloved by their parents?To what extent do these effects extend into adulthood and old age?
Coping subtheoryWhy do some children and adults cope more effectively than others with the experiences of childhood rejection?
Sociocultural subtheoryWhy are some parents warm, loving, and accepting and others cold, aggressive, neglecting, and recjeting?how is the total fabric of a society, as well as the behaviour and beliefs or people within the society, affected by the fact that most parents in that societz tend to either accept or reject their children?
PAR and Personality
Emotional need for positive response is a powerful motivator in children
Parental rejection leads to hostility, aggression, impaired self esteem, emotional unresponsiveness and instability
PAR and Coping
Consequences of Parental Rejection
Depression Behavioural problemsSubstance abuse
PAR and Mental Health Outcomes
Evaluation of PAR
Almost 2000 empirical studies since the 1930s
Convergence of results across methods, cultures and over time
Approximately 25% of the variance in adolescent and adult adjustment accounted for by PAR
How to understand Japanese…
The typical psychology of a given nation can only be learned through familiarity with its native language. The language compriseseverything which is intrinsic to the soul of anation, and, therefore, provides the best projective test there is for each nation.
Doi
Clarifying Amae (Yamaguchi)
Amae: the presumption of indulgence, which involves an acceptance of inappropriate behaviour
Elaboration of amaeAmae and dependenceAmae and attachment
Filial Piety
Guiding principle governing patterns of socialisation
Prescribes how children should behave towards parents
Justifies parental authority over childrenDemands obedience, honour and respect
Filial Piety: Measures
Moral dilemmas (e.g. Lee, 1974)1. Material benefits to parents2. Emotional and spiritual support for parents3. Care, love and obedience in parent-child relationships4. Mutual care and love in relationships5. Actualizing ethical ideals.
Psychometric scalese.g. Filial Piety Scale by \Ho and Lee (1974)
Filial Piety: Determinants
EducationAgeGender Socio-economic statusNationalityContinuities and departures form tradition
To which extent are filial attitudes reflected in filial behaviour?
Filial Piety, Child-rearing and Psychological Outcomes
Authoritarian moralism (Ho, 1993)Cognitive conservatism (Greenwald, 1980)
Research evidence consistently points tonegative psychological consequences of filialpiety from a contemporary perspective onhuman development.
Ho (1996, p. 165)
Concluding Questions
What are the positive and negative consequences of filial piety?
Can Amae be studied across cultures?Is PAR a convincing etic theory? Why?