The work on this project involves a number of studies in a variety of cultures. The overall objective is to explore the ways in which developmental environments can be described by variations in physical and social ecologies, especially in terms of parental beliefs, values, and practices, and to assess how differences in these domains affect children's development. In one study, Palestinian mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers are being interviewed about their perceptions, values, expectations, responsibilities, and practices. The goal is to explore transgenerational changes in childrearing practices and beliefs in a culture exposed to tremendous exogenous influence, especially over the last half century. In a second study, researchers are attempting to assess specific maternal and child attributions about one another in order to identify the extent to which attributions or expectations shape the way that parents and children interact, with particular focus on the development of aggressive behavior. Mothers and sons interacted more aggressively when they had negative attributions of one another, and recent analyses suggest that maternal and filial attributions affect future aggressive behavior. In the third study, gender differences in the self-perceptions of young adolescents are being assessed so that staff can explore the antecedents and correlates of different styles of self-perception.
| Kelly, Joan B; Lamb, Michael E (2003) Developmental issues in relocation cases involving young children: when, whether, and how? J Fam Psychol 17:193-205 |
| Lindsey, Eric W; MacKinnon-Lewis, Carol; Campbell, Jessica et al. (2002) Marital conflict and boys' peer relationships: the mediating role of mother-son emotional reciprocity. J Fam Psychol 16:466-77 |
