Parents as socializers: Maternal and paternal views

To provide data on middle-class mothers' and fathers' conceptions of their child-rearing roles during adolescence, parents of 5th, 8th, and 11th graders were interviewed in their homes. Forty-two families (an equal number of boys and girls at each grade level) participated. Parents described the behaviors that they were currently encouraging or discouraging in their child, as well as the techniques they used to elicit or influence these behaviors. Fathers saw themselves as more actively involved in encouraging instrumental behaviors such as independence and assertiveness, whereas mothers saw themselves as more involved in the training of interpersonal behaviors such as manners and politeness. Fathers reported using more forceful childrearing techniques than did mothers, although parents reported being more punishing and less rewarding with same-sexed children. Parents of girls were more likely to emphasize prosocial behaviors and politeness; parents of boys emphasized selfcare behaviors.