Childrearing Values in Greece, Taiwan, and the United States

Objective. The purpose of this investigation was to compare childrearing values in mothers of preschoolers from Greece, Taiwan and the United States. Design. Seventy-two middle-class mothers of 3- to 4-year-old children (24 per country) were interviewed about the values they wish to instill in their children using open-ended probes and an ordering task of values. Four broad categories of values were identified based on a modification of Harwood, Miller, and Irizarry's (1995) taxonomy: (1) Decency, referring to values emphasizing character, (2) Proper Demeanor, referring to values emphasizing appropriate relatedness and behaviors, (3) Self-maximization, referring to values emphasizing the development of self potential and individuality, and (4) Sociability/lovingness, referring to values emphasizing affective and social dimensions of relatedness. Results. Mothers from the three countries emphasized similar values in both tasks. However, cultural differences in value categories were evident, echoing the unique cultural frameworks of the three societies. Conclusions. Cultural ideologies are reflected in the values parents seek to instill in their young children, and different methodological approaches highlight cultural similarities and differences.