Empirical Studies and Culture & Ethnocentrism

Question 1

Main/direct effects

Answer 1

• aka: universal effects (does this happen in general/on average?)
• Does IV cause DV?
• ex. Does spanking (IV/predictor variable) cause child aggression (DV/outcome variable)
• spanking –> child aggression

Question 2

Mediating or indirect effects

Answer 2

• does IV affect mediating variable, which then affects DV?
• ex. does parental stress (IV) affect spanking rates (mediating) which then affect child aggression (DV)?
• parental stress –> spanking –> child aggression

Question 3

Moderating or interactional effects

Answer 3

• aka: context-specific effects
• does a moderating variable increase/decrease the effect between IV and DV?
• ex. does culture moderate the effect between spanking and childhood aggression?
• spanking (IV) –> culture (draw above arrow in diagram; moderator) –> child aggression (DV)

Question 4

universality vs. context-specific effects

Answer 4

• universality (aka: main effects): happen in general/on average (ex. are effects of parenting similar/universal from parent to parent?)
• context-specific effects (aka interactional effects): vary depending on social/cultural context (ex. do effects of parenting vary between rural/urban, level of education/income, culture, etc.)
• • tends to be the focus of parenting research (difficult to find universal effects)

Question 5

2 types of measurement error

Answer 5

• Construct validity: is the researcher measuring the variable in the research question, or another variable (ie. are you really measuring what you think you’re measuring?)
• Content validity: is the researcher measuring enough of the variable? (ie. number of questions on questionnaire, dimensions they tap into, etc.)

Question 6

Developmental Niche

Answer 6

• theoretical framework used to understand how culture might shape child development
• 3 components/sub-systems of the developmental niche:
• • Settings: physical and social settings (ie. who is there? what is the physical space like in the child’s home and immediate environment?)
• • Customs: widely-accepted practices of childrearing (ie. inherited and adapted ways of nurturing, entertaining, educating, and protecting the child)
• • Psychology of Caretakers: parental ethnotheories or beliefs about what “typical” child development and “effective” parenting are –> direct parenting practices
• *You will need to apply this on the exam, so think of an example from your own upbringing**

Question 7

Levine’s hierarchy of child-rearing goals

Answer 7

• Levine proposed that there is a universal hierarchy in parents’ child-rearing goals (may use different practices, but all lead to the same goals)
• First, parents prioritize practices that contribute to their child’s physical health and survival
• Second, parents prioritize practices that contribute to their child becoming economically independent at maturity
• Once the first two are met, parents can devote energy towards practices believed to maximize their child’s obtainment of specific cultural values (ie. personality traits considered prestigious, devotion of a religious nature, intellectual achievement, or personal satisfaction/self-realization)

Question 8

Ethnocentrism

Answer 8

• when in-group customs are considered the standard/norm (egocentric)
• typically results in evaluating others’ customs (ie. parenting practices) as inferior