Jonathan Ghysels
HOW DO PARENTING STYLES DIFFER
AMONG CULTURES?
WHY DOES PARENTING DIFFER?
Parenting through the world differs just as
religion, tradition, ethics and diet does
 Just as parts of India differ in language and
religion, so do the principles communicated to
children
Ex: Hindu children taught to control instinctual
impulses

EARLY EXPLORATION
Exploration on parenting styles emerged
around 1950
 Differences explored to highlight parental tech.
Ex: In which countries is swaddling common?
 Inferences based in Freudian and
Fundamentalism

THE WESTERN WORLD
Focus on Individualism
Ex: Personal creativity, boosting self-esteem
 Value in Autonomy
 Primary concerns start with infant’s sleeping
 Liberal use of “time outs” and discipline

THE EASTERN WORLD
Pressure for Older Siblings to Oversee Younger
 “Time outs” of Discipline used Conservatively
 Collectivism Valued
 Emphasize respecting elders and assuming
positions of responsibility

COLLECTIVISM VS INDIVIDUALISM
DIFFERENCES WITHIN A REGION
US Parents Adopt Styles Similar to their
Background
 African American Parents Expect Greater from
children
 E. African Nuer parents stress egalitarianism,
while neighboring Gusii parents are
authoritarian

AFRICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Women raised to be Breadwinners
 Somali children taught to reason rather than
assert
 Observation and Imitation
 Continual practice of life skills
 Parents in North African areas tend to comfort
crying infants in 1/6 the time than American
Parents

POINTS OF INTEREST
56% more Anglo-American parents find
importance in finding self vs. Asian-American
parents
 Indians living in Asia and Anglo-Americans have
strikingly similar concepts of child development
 Child’s diet far more important in W. Europe,
Child’s sleep more important in the US

CONCLUDING POINTS
Parenting’s reasoning in context of cultural
values
 Parenting is far more grouped regionally than
by country
 The nation’s work ethic and views on success
largely illustrate what parents emphasize

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Sebuliba, Dorothy N. "Cultural Aspects of Assessing and
Enhancing Parenting." Cultural Aspects of Assessing and
Enhancing Parenting. 18 Feb. 2000. Web. 21 May 2012.
<http://priory.com/SEBULIBA.htm>.
Wise, Sarah, and Lisa Silva. "Differential Parenting of
Children from Diverse Cultural Backgrounds Attending Child
Care." Australian Institute of Family Studies. Apr. 2007. Web.
21 May 2012.
<http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/rp39/rp39.html>.
Cody, Paul. "Parenting Babies in Different Cultures."
Parenting Babies in Different Cultures. Cornell University, 22
Jan. 1998. Web. 21 May 2012.
<http://www.news.cornell.edu/chronicle/98/1.22.98/Small.
html>.
IMAGES
Individualism and Collectivism Domains Assessed
in Individualism--Collectivism Scales. Digital
image. Web. 22 May 2012.
<http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/128/1/ima
ges/bul_128_1_3_tbl1a.gif>.
 American Flag. Digital image. Web.
<http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/u/us.gif>
.
 Flag of China. Digital image. Web. 22 May 2012.
<http://www.enchantedlearning.com/asia/china/f
lag.GIF>.
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