Similarities and differences between western cultures: Toddler temperament and parent-child interactions in the United States (US) and Germany |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Psychology, TU University of Dortmund, 44221 Dortmund, Germany;2. Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany;3. Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland;1. Department of Psychology, Hamilton College, USA;2. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, USA;3. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, USA;1. Department of Psychology, Bowdoin College, United States;2. Department of Psychology, Washington State University, United States;1. Washington State University, USA;2. Bowdoin College, USA;3. University of Leuven, Belgium;4. University of São Paulo, Brazil;5. Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad de Santiago, Chile;6. Capital Normal University, China;7. University of Helsinki, Finland;8. 0-3 Centre for the at-Risk Infant, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Italy;9. Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy;10. Ewha Womans University, South Korea;11. Ewha Social Science Research Institute, Ewha Womans University, Republic of Korea;12. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico;13. Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands;14. Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands;15. University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands;p. Babes Bolyai University, Romania;q. Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine, Novosibirsk State University, Russia;r. University of Murcia, Spain;s. Özyeğin University, Turkey;t. Trakya University, Turkey;u. Tampere University, Finland;1. Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Münster, Germany;2. Department of Physics, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany |
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| Abstract: | Parents play a critical role in shaping social-emotional development, particularly in early childhood; however, children’s influence on their own development is equally important. Parent-child interactions, fundamental to secure attachment and social schemes, represent a critical area of social-emotional development subject to child effects associated with temperament. The present study explores these effects through a cross-cultural lens via comparisons of dyads from the United States (US) and Germany. Specifically, cross-cultural differences in toddler temperament were evaluated via the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ; Putnam et al., 2006), with cross-cultural variability in parent-child interactions examined as well, along with differences in child temperament effects on the quality of these interactions. Ratings of temperament were generally similar between the two cultures; however, US toddlers were rated higher in attention shifting, whereas German children were rated higher on soothability and perceptual sensitivity. Additionally, dyadic interactions in the US were rated as more stimulating and demonstrating greater partner engagement than those in Germany. Differential contributions of temperament to interaction quality and complexity were also observed. Higher ratings of toddler discomfort and perceptual sensitivity predicted more stimulating interactions overall in the US but not Germany. In contrast, higher ratings of toddler low-intensity pleasure predicted more stimulating interactions in Germany but not the US. Overall, the present study identifies many similarities between US and German toddlers and supports theories describing children as active agents in shaping their own development, in what appears to be a different manner across cultures. |
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| Keywords: | Culture Temperament Parent-child interactions Child-effects |
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