Research Study 4

Question 1

former soviet union child-rearing methods

Answer 1

• due to totalitarian society, child-rearing was designed to foster conformity, loyalty, group-mindedness, and unquestioning acceptance of authority
• dissent and independent thought discouraged and believed to be selfish

Question 2

role of soviet government vs. soviet parents

Answer 2

• government is considered “primary” parent; parents considered secondary and follow whatever government says

Question 3

specific child-rearing practices adopted by soviet parents

Answer 3

• government maintained uniformity in parenting practices -> little variety/diversity in parenting

Question 4

style of discipline adopted by soviet educators

Answer 4

• authoritarian
• because educators were controlled by the state, they also rewarded strict obedience and discouraged independent thinking

Question 5

style of discipline favoured in Russia (post-soviet union)

Answer 5

• responsive/nurturing: promotes independent thinking

- more variety in parenting styles

Question 6

primary aim of study

Answer 6

to see whether parenting affects child aggression the same way in Russia as it does in the US, or whether there are cross-cultural differences (result: no cross-cultural differences found)

Question 7

single positive and 2 negative aspects of parenting the study investiagted

Answer 7

• positive: responsiveness

- negative: coercion and psychological control

Question 8

responsive parent-child interactions

Answer 8

emergent interactions rather than pre-planned (your interaction with your child emerges based on cues from child; you adapt and interact on the fly)

Question 9

coercion

Answer 9

forcing someone to do something they wouldn’t voluntarily do on their own

Question 10

does research consistently find a link between parental coercion and child aggression?

Answer 10

• no -> cross-cultural differences present
• ex. typically, no link is found for African-Americans as they live in an environment where they’re expected to obey due to excessive police brutality

Question 11

psychological control

Answer 11

controlling what/how your child feels and thinks

Question 12

2 forms of marital conflict examined in study

Answer 12

1. overt marital conflict (ex. visible conflict -> fighting, screaming, etc.)
2. marital exclusion (ex. giving each other the cold shoulder, pretending the other parent doesn’t exist, etc.)

Question 13

7 variables examined in study

Answer 13

• responsiveness (IV)
• coercion (IV)
• psychological control (IV)
• overt marital conflict (IV)
• marital exclusion (IV)
• overt child aggression (DV)
• relational child aggression (DV)

Question 14

did researchers find sex differences in relational and overt aggression rates?

Answer 14

No

Question 15

did marital hostility make a significant contribution to overt and relational aggression above and beyond parenting styles?

Answer 15

No

Question 16

did parenting styles make significant contributions to overt and relational aggression above and beyond marital hostility?

Answer 16

Yes

Question 17

was the correlation between marital conflict and overt/relational aggression stronger for boys or girls?

Answer 17

Boys (boys are generally more affected by parent fighting than girls, and are also more negatively affected by divorce than girls)

Question 18

what variable is most strongly correlated with overt aggression in boys?

Answer 18

mother’s coercion

Question 19

what variable is most strongly correlated with relational aggression in boys?

Answer 19

father’s responsiveness

Question 20

what variable is most strongly correlated with overt aggression in girls?

Answer 20

father’s responsiveness

Question 21

what variable is most strongly correlated with relational aggression in girls?

Answer 21

mother’s coercion

Question 22

which 2 variables weren’t significantly correlated with either type of child aggression?

Answer 22

• father’s psychological control

- marital exclusion

Question 23

are the findings of this study consistent with other studies?

Answer 23

• yes
• like other studies, this one found that level of responsiveness is most important aspect of father involvement and has larger effect on children’s social skills than mother’s responsiveness