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Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology
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The Socialization of Autonomy and Relatedness

Sequential Verbal Exchanges in Japanese and U.S. Mother—Preschooler Dyads

Tracy A. Dennis

Hunter College of the City University of New York

Makram Talih

Hunter College of the City University of New York

Pamela M. Cole

The Pennsylvania State University

Carolyn Zahn-Waxler

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Ichiro Mizuta

Kobe College

Despite documented cross-cultural variability in autonomy and relatedness, relatively little is known about how these characteristics of self are socialized. This study, a secondary analysis (Dennis et al., 2002), explored this question by examining sequential verbal exchanges between Japanese and U.S. mothers and children during play and a challenging wait (N = 60, M age = 55.8 months, SD = 4.9). The likelihood that mothers would contingently encourage child autonomy or relatedness by matching, responding positively, or reducing directives was tested. There was greater encouragement of relatedness among Japanese mothers but few cultural differences in encouraging autonomy. Effects depended on the context of interaction, with greater cultural differences during the challenging wait. Culturally distinct gender effects also emerged: U.S. mothers bolstered girls' autonomy and showed consistent encouragement of boys' relatedness whereas Japanese mothers bolstered autonomy in boys only. Implications for cross-cultural patterns in the socialization of self are discussed.

Key Words: autonomy and relatedness • context effects • socialization

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, Vol. 38, No. 6, 729-749 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0022022107308993
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