Parental Preferences and Pre-determined
Attitude toward Family Size Affect Child’s Attitude and Achievement
Taylor M. Hodge
Southern Methodist University
Parental Preference and Pre-determined
Attitude toward Family Size Affect Child’s Attitude and Achievement
The majority of United States residents believe that only
children are at a disadvantage. Statistics such as this shows the disapproving
outlook a society concludes to only children. G. Stanley Hall initially put
this negative view of the only child into play. Hall asserted that being an
only child was a disease unto itself (Neal, 1927). A child’s motivation to
succeed through certain achievements is driven on the assumption of parental
approval. The parent’s approval is pre-determined based variables such as the
conception of a normal family size, social norms, and cultural affluence.
Government laws, parent’s desired economic status, and personal preferences
such as the commitment and time having multiple children will cause determine
the parent’s conception of a normal family size.
In
1979, the Republic of China implemented the one-child-per-family program in
order to control the country’s overpopulation. The Chinese feared the expected
population of 2.1 billion by the year 2080, compared to the 1.2 billion in
2000. By 1985, 80% to 90% of Chinese couples in urban areas had responded in
accordance to the family plan policy (Yang, Ollendick, Dong, Xia, & Lin,
1995). The book, The Joy Luck Club explains why Chinese parents desire
to indicate their own worth through their child (Tan, 1989). Traditionally,
Chinese families valued the idea of having many children such as the American
families’ do. Around 14% of United States children are only children. While
only child families begins to increase, the focus of only children research in
the United States has been around for more than half a century with over 200
studies on only children (Zheng & Colombo, 2001). Many of the articles such
as the Wan, Fan, Lin, and Jing (2001) study, Yang et al. (1995) study, the Shen
& Yuan (1999) study, and the Wang, Kato, Inaba, Tango, Yoshida, Kusaka, et
al. (2000) study are tested in China because of the one-child-per-family law.
However, results from these studies can be biased when cultural and social
norms are not accounted for.
The Zheng and Colombo (2001) study was based on the Snow,
Jacklin, & Maccoby (1981) study that found only children exhibit more
assertiveness and total social behavior when observed in a one-on-one social
situation where the number of toys is limited. In 2001, Zheng and Colombo
duplicated the study to find specific social behaviors amongst only versus
sibling children. The results were completely different based on one factor.
The Snow et al. study observation was conducted in a constrained one-on-one
environment with limited variables while the Zheng and Colombo study
observation took place during group-oriented free-play period (Zheng &
Colombo, 2001). This sole factor showed Zheng and Colombo the difference a
controlled environment can have on the results. The Zheng and Colombo (2001)
study is more pertinent and rationale in larger group situations, while the
Snow et al. (1981) study can be more reliable in one-on-one child encounters.
The
Yang et al. (1995) study found only children reported lower levels of fear,
anxiety, and depression than sibling children in the Republic of China. The
study was conducted in the urban area of China only, and the one-child-per-family
policy was enacted and made law prior to the study. Logically, sibling children
would have higher levels of fear, anxiety, and depression in urban China when
they are not within the social norm and the law demands otherwise. The family
with more than one child is subjected to economic sanctions as well (Yang et
al., 1995). In Shen and Yuan’s (1999) study the researchers agree with the
illustrations of The Joy Luck Club, and go on to say that Chinese
parents with one child seem to have only one chance to realize their worth
through that child. Instrumental values such as leadership, self-motivation,
and kindness are implemented as vehicles to accomplishment (Shen & Yuan,
1999). The Wan, Fan, Lin, and Jing (2001) study shows achievement motivation as
the only significant difference in only children versus sibling children. While
three grades, one, three, and five were included, only grade one yielded the
results. The first grade children are the only children that were born after
the Republic of China one-child-per-family provision. Parents placed a
significant difference on their children when they knew that would be their
only child. The parents’ only descendent to carry down the bloodline. The way
the child succeeded in life also proved how successful the parents were.
By
focusing solely on Korea, Doh and Falbo were able to yield similar results to
most Chinese studies in concurrence that parental preference and attitude
affect a child’s attitude and achievement. The Doh and Falbo (1999) studied
parental preferences such as attentiveness and overprotectiveness and compared
only children versus sibling children in Korea. Mothers who said they were more
attentive had less selfish, more popular, and sociable children than mothers
who did not address an overly attentiveness preference (Doh & Falbo, 1999).
While Chinese and Korean studies can seem irreverent, the Roberts and Blanton
(2001) study was conducted in the United States and achieved similar results.
The study focused on only child college students recalling their childhood.
Most students agreed that pressures to succeed came from the parent’s approval.
The approval to produce grandchildren, demands of being the sole caretakers of
their aging parents, and the sorrow that would come with losing all connection
to their families of origin after their parents’ death all play overwhelming
negative affects on being an only child in the United States. While benefits
such as a tight-knit relationship with their parents, enjoying needed time
alone, and avoiding fights with siblings were mainly overlooked by the downside
of being an only child (Roberts, & Blanton, 2001).
The strong correlation of the literature and this study is
apparent through many aspects. Parental preferences are normally in tune with
the social norms and these norms change over time, and can be different
culturally as well. The past literature illustrates key pattern and behavior
traits parents illustrate based on changing times. The Chinese
one-child-per-family provision is an example of the dramatic affect a culture
and its law have on pre-determined attitudes and preferences on family size.
The literature shows the positive and negative affects family size has on
children while this study intertwines past data to support current hypotheses. This
study would not be valid if it were not for the hundreds and hundreds of past
studies, the validity and invalidity of these studies, and the topics they
depict. Families come and go, but the concept of a family will forever be in
time. This study pertains to each and every person that was once a child, only
or sibling. Without past facts and data, the current methods and procedures
would be non-existent. While history is repeated, the building block of
learning from past successes and failures grows plentiful.
How is a child’s attitude and achievement affected by the
parent’s pre-determined attitude and preference on family size? This question
is relevant and hits home to every human being. By understanding the reasoning
and factors of why a parent’s approval is so important to a child’s success is
only the beginning. The way a child is raised not only determines how that
child will act, but how the child will parent their future children. The study
of how a child’s attitude and achievement is affected by parental attitude and
preference on family size digs deep into the cause and affect measure and
method. Is it because the child is an only child in a family among many sibling
families, sociological explanations, or do parents really have this undisputed
accountability and approval soundness for their child’s motivation towards
achievement and success? Parents have an unknowing, everlasting affect on their
children and attitudes they will forever implement and carry.
Method
Participants
Thirty
children (16 male, 14 female), the children’s three teachers, and the
children’s parents were observed for this study. The children were enrolled in
a preschool program at Southern Methodist University. The children’s mean age
was six years. Of the 30 children, 14 were only children. Of the remaining 16
children, 10 had one sibling, 4 had two, and 2 had four.
Measures/Materials
A
correlation design will be used to measure the sibling children and only
children. The teachers filled out a ranking survey on a daily basis based on
the children’s social interactions and behaviors. The teachers paid special
attention to dominating character traits, and observed how the children
interacted with one another. There was a special section to note unusual or
disturbing behavior such as children that played by themselves and children
that had to be in control at all times. The parents of the children also filled
out a similar daily ranking survey. The parents took into special consideration
the actions and attitudes that they had throughout the day based on their
feelings of having one to multiple children. Their actions were measured
against their child’s actions to see the similarities and differences the
children had in comparison to their parents. The scale measured the response
time and conditions the children had towards their parents and other
individuals throughout the day. The children were also interviewed weekly to
assess their behavior and how they were coping with their parent’s reactions
and social interaction. While it is hard to interview preschoolers this is an
important step to understanding the children’s reactions to the parent’s
attitudes and preferences.
Procedures
The children had three teachers
watching over them throughout the day. Each teacher recorded 10 children for
five days. The teachers would then rotate the next week and record 10 more
children. This continued for three weeks until all three teachers had recorded
all 30 students. The parents ranked their children’s behavior and attitude on a
daily basis for 30 days. The children were chosen based on availability and
consent from the parents or legal guardians. The children were also
cross-examined to make sure they were mentally stable, and capable of
completing the study. The parent’s recorded their children’s behaviors daily
for 30 days. The children’s bedtime was an appropriate time to record the data
in order to gather all of the necessary information needed from that day. The
teachers responded to the surveys for three straight weeks excluding weekends.
The children each had 15 surveys completed per child by three teachers. The
children responded weekly to an interviewer who examined their actions and
reactions for the week. The data that was collected was analyzed, and studied
by all researchers who took part in the study. The researchers divided the
sibling children versus only children surveys into two piles, and compared and
contrasted the similarities and differences the two groups portrayed.
Personalities tend to remain consistent within each child, and that is why
additional measurement is needed. In order to break through and dig deep into
the slightest change in a child’s personality all the measurement that is
possible should be done.
Assumed
behavior traits include the children to act and feel certain ways based on how
the parent’s act and treat their children. Children who feel they do not
adequately fulfill their parent’s needs will act differently than the children
who feel a sense of completion in regards to their parent’s actions. This study
will be successful only with the utmost respect and fairness from the parents.
The parent’s honesty is crucial in order to achieve the desired results.
Confidentiality will be overemphasized in order reassure the parent’s privacy.
Incentives will be offered in order to receive the most accurate data possible.
The parents and children will receive sporting event tickets for the entire
family, and the teacher will receive tickets for their entire family. This
reiterates the need to spend quality time with the family in a fun, laid back
setting. Positive and negative effects will be taken into consideration to
determine how the parent’s pre-determined attitude and preference regarding
family size affect a child’s attitude and achievement.
References
Doh, H., & Falbo, T. (1999). Social competence, maternal
attentiveness, and overprotectiveness: Only children in Korea. International Journal of Behavioural
Development, 23, 149-162.
Roberts, L.C., & Blanton, P.W. (2001). I always knew mom
and dad loved me best: Experiences of only children. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 57, 125-140.
Shen, J., & Yuan, B. (1999). Moral values of only and
sibling children in mainland China. The
Journal of Psychology, 133, 115-124.
Wan, C., Fan, C., Lin, G., & Jing, Q. (2001). Comparison
of personality traits of only and sibling school children in Beijing. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 155,
377-388.
Wang, D., Kato, N., Inaba, Y., Tango, T., Yoshida, Y.,
Kusaka, Y., et al. (2000). Physical and personality in Fuzhou, China: Only
child vs sibling. Child: Care, Health,
and Development, 26, 49-60.
Yang, B., Ollendick, T.H., Dong, Q., Xia, Y., & Lin, L.
(1995). Only children and children with siblings in the People’s Republic of
China: Levels of fear, anxiety, and depression. Child Development, 66, 1301-1311.
Zheng, S., & Colombo, J. (2001). Sibling configuration
and gender differences in preschool social participation. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 150, 45-50.
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