Journal of Family Psychology
Volume 14, Issue 3, 2000, Pages 334-348

Immigrant-Chinese and Euro-American parents' physical closeness with young children: Themes of family relatedness (Article)

Rothbaum F.* , Morelli G. , Pott M. , Liu-Constant Y.
  • a Eliot-Pearson Dept. of Child Devmt., Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, United States
  • b [Affiliation not available]
  • c [Affiliation not available]
  • d [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

This study examined cultural differences in the expression and meaning of physical closeness. Findings indicated that immigrant-Chinese parents, as compared with Euro-American parents, sleep in closer proximity with their children; more often view independence as children growing with the family; are more likely to emphasize the family unit; and place greater importance on inhibition of expression, adherence to correct values, and hierarchy of relations. Euro-Americans, by contrast, are more accepting of nudity; place more emphasis on psychological benefits of physical closeness and on the child's expression of wants and feelings; more often view independence as celebrating the child's distinctiveness; and place greater importance on intimacy, pleasure, and spousal exclusiveness. The authors suggest that closeness is characterized by an overarching theme of harmony in immigrant-Chinese families and by an overarching theme of romance in Euro-American families.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology Cultural Diversity psychological aspect Caucasian human comparative study socialization Humans Cross-Cultural Comparison Asian Americans male Asian American preschool child female Child, Preschool cultural factor Parent-Child Relations Article migration European Continental Ancestry Group Emigration and Immigration child parent relation Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0034257257&doi=10.1037%2f0893-3200.14.3.334&partnerID=40&md5=ff56dbe00572ef89f9b915517b5c6331
DOI: 10.1037/0893-3200.14.3.334
ISSN: 08933200
Cited by: 37
Original Language: English