This article was downloaded by: [McMaster University]On: 28 October 2014, At: 08:39Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH,UK

The Journal of SocialPsychologyPublication details, including instructions forauthors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vsoc20

Children's Attitudes towardsSocial Change in Relation toParental Attitudes towardsChild RearingHarbans K. Nijhawan a & Prem Verma aa Panjab University , IndiaPublished online: 30 Jun 2010.

To cite this article: Harbans K. Nijhawan & Prem Verma (1975) Children's Attitudestowards Social Change in Relation to Parental Attitudes towards Child Rearing, TheJournal of Social Psychology, 96:2, 293-294, DOI: 10.1080/00224545.1975.9923297

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1975.9923297

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all theinformation (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform.However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make norepresentations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness,or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and viewsexpressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, andare not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of theContent should not be relied upon and should be independently verified withprimary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for anylosses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages,and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly orindirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of theContent.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes.Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan,sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone isexpressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found athttp://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

McM

aste

r U

nive

rsity

] at

08:

39 2

8 O

ctob

er 2

014

The Journal of Social Psychology, 1975, 96, 293-294.

CHILDREN’S ATTITUDES TOWARDS SOCIAL CHANGE I N RELATION T O PARENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS

CHILD REARING*’

Panjab University, India

HARBANS K. NI JHAWAN AND PREM VERMA

Two well known studies of prejudice in children2 concluded that authori- tarian attitudes of parents lead to prejudice and ethnic bias in children. The present investigators felt that the same pattern of parental attitudes would emerge for the conservative child in view of the significant correla- tion reported between ethnocentrism and conservatism by L e ~ i n s o n . ~ I t was theorized further that punitive and rejective child rearing practices result in feelings of insecurity in the child as reported by Radke4 and these would later become attached to new ideas and modes of living. So it was hypothesized that significant differences between the responses of parents of conservative and radical children would be found on the different state- ments concerning attitudes towards child rearing.

The sample in the present study consisted of 80 Panjabi children of 11th class (mean age 16.7 years) of Chandigarh schools and their parents-SO mothers and 80 fathers.

A scale consisting of 60 items to be used with younger group was adapted from Promila’s C-R scale5 of 120 items measuring adults’ attitudes towards social change. The scale was administered to 600 subjects out of which 40 subjects with highest scores (conservatives) and 40 with lowest scores (radicals) were selected for the final study.

To measure attitudes of parents towards various aspects of child rearing,

* Received in the Editorial Office, Provincetown, Massachusetts, on March 25, 1974. Copyright, 1975, by The Journal Press.

1 The authors wish to thank Miss V. Sarohia, who helped in collecting the data. 2 Frenkel-Brunswik, E. A study of prejudice in children. In T. W. Adorno et d.

(Eds), The Authoritarian Personality. New York: Harper, 1950.; Harris, D. E., Gough, H. C., & Martin, W. E. Children’s ethnic attitudes. 11. Relationship to parental beliefs concerning child-training. Child Devel., 1950, 21, 169-181.

3 Levinson, D. J. Politico-economic ideology and group membership in relation to ethnocentrism. In T. W. Adorno et al. (Eds.), The Authoritm’an Personality. New York: Harper, 1950.

4 Radke, M. J. The relation of parental authority to children’s behaviour and atti- tudes. Cf. G. G. Thompson, Child Psychology. Bombay: Times of India Press, 1965.

5 Promila. Certain personality correlates of social change. Unpublished Doctoral dis- sertation, University of Panjab, India, 1970.

293

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

McM

aste

r U

nive

rsity

] at

08:

39 2

8 O

ctob

er 2

014

2 94 JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

a scale used by Sarason, Davidson, Lighthall, Waite and Ruebusha was administered to them.

Results were obtained on the combined sample of mothers and fathers. A chi square test was applied, and significant differences were obtained on 19 out of 38 items. Out of these 19 items 14 were related to authoritarian and punitive attitudes and .were endorsed more frequently by the parents of conservative children. The remaining five items pertaining to democratic attitudes were endorsed more frequently by the parents of radical children. These results supported our hypothesis. Clearest evidence with regard to differences in parental attitudes towards child rearing was obtained on items pertaining to punitiveness, developing independence, suppression of aggres- sion, authoritarian and democratic attitudes. The argument that the con- servative or the radical child may simply be learning these attitudes from parents who themselves are either conservative or radical may be counter- manded by mentioning that the correlation between the parental attitudes towards child rearing and their social attitudes is far from perfect.

Department of Psychology Panjab University Chandigarh-14, India

6 Sarason, S. B., Davidson, K. S., Lighthall, F. F., Waite, R. R., & Ruebush, B. K. Anxiety in Elementary School Children. New York: Wiley, 1960.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

McM

aste

r U

nive

rsity

] at

08:

39 2

8 O

ctob

er 2

014