Culture, Parenting Practices, and Moral Development

Abstract

This chapter offers a critical overview of parenting practices and socialization in cultural context. Consideration is given to theory and research on the development of moral emotions, including guilt, shame, and empathy, as well as to cultural variation in the nature of parenting styles and their consequences for child development. Drawing implications for theories of motivation, cultural variation is also analyzed in the legitimacy that children accord to different styles of parental regulation. In conclusion, an argument is made regarding the need to culturally broaden psychological theories of parenting and morality, and to work toward formulating parenting interventions that are more culturally sensitive and effective in realizing culturally variable goals. Challenges are also addressed regarding ways to better understand cultural variation in parenting practices while avoiding the pitfalls of either an extreme relativism or extreme universalism.