Give three examples of how parents in an individualistic culture might raise their child differently than parents in a collectivist society.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: These values are often communicated from parent to child even before the child can speak. For example, in many cultures around the world, the value of connection to others is communicated in infancy because babies are constantly kept close to the mother’s body, sleeping with her while she anticipates the baby’s needs. Contrast this with cultures in which babies are expected to sleep through the night in their own bed and are praised for soothing themselves when they cry. How parents may promote independence in eating or may maintain control of their child’s food depending on the value they put on independence or interdependence (Miller & Harwood, 2002). What subtle message is each mother giving her baby from the earliest days of life? The first mother is saying, “Be independent. Learn to do things on your own separately from me. We will watch and praise you.” The second mother is saying, “Be close to family. Listen to and cooperate with your parents. Enjoy your food in the context of family love and expectations for proper behavior.”