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Reverence for Mothers in Ecuadorian and Euro-American Culture

Central Connecticut State University

Walter G. Stephan

New Mexico State University

Marina Abalakina-Paap

San Francisco State University

Two studies examine differences between Ecuadorians and Euro-Americans in levels of reverence for their mothers. Data collected from college students in Ecuador and the United States show that Ecuadorians display higher levels of mother reverence than Euro-Americans. Ecuadorians also score higher on measures of maternal power, similarity of mothers to the cultural ideal of women, and uncertainty avoidance. However, levels of independence are significantly higher in the Euro-American sample than in the Ecuadorian sample. High levels of maternal power, idealization of mothers, and interdependent self-construals are found to predict mother reverence in both cultures. The implications of these findings for interpersonal and intercultural relations are discussed.

Key Words: mother • women • Ecuador • South America • Hispanic • culture • individualism • collectivism • gender • power • power distance • uncertainty avoidance • reverence • respect • devotion

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 37, No. 4, 465-484 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0022022106288481


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