Shaping the values of the next generation: Value transmission processes within the family

Makarova, Elena (10 July 2014). Shaping the values of the next generation: Value transmission processes within the family (Unpublished). In: 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) "From crisis to sustainable well-being". Paris. 08.07.-13.07.2014.

Abstract: Research on human values within the family focuses on value congruence between the family members (Knafo & Schwartz, 2004), based on the assumption that transmission of values is part of a child’s socialization process. Within the family, values are not only implicitly transmitted through this process but also explicitly conveyed through the educational goals of parents (Grusec et al., 2000; Knafo & Schwartz, 2003; 2004, 2009). However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the role of family characteristics in the value transmission process, especially for families with young children.

Thus, the study presented had multiple aims: Firstly, it analyzed the congruency between mothers’ and fathers’ values and their value-based educational goals. Secondly, it examined the influence of mothers’ and fathers’ socio-demographic characteristics on their educational goals. Thirdly, it analyzed the differences in parental educational goals in families with daughters and families with sons. Finally, it examined the congruency between children’s values and the value-based educational goals of their parents.

The value transmission process within families with young children was analyzed using data from complete families (child, mother and father) in Switzerland (N = 265). The survey of children consisted of 139 boys and 126 girls aged between 7 and 9 years. Parents’ values and parental educational goals were assessed using the Portrait Value Questionnaire (PVQ-21) (Schwartz, 2005). Children’s’ values were assessed using the Picture-Based Value Survey for Children (PBVS-C) (Döring et al., 2010).

Regarding the role of the family context in the process of shaping children’s values, the results of the study show that, on average, parents are similar not only with respect to their value profiles but also with regard to their notion as to which values they would like to transmit to their children. Our findings also suggest that children’s values at an early age are shaped more strongly by mothers’ values than by fathers’ values. Moreover, our results show differences in value transmission with respect to the child’s gender. In particular, they suggest that value transmission within the family has a greater influence on female than on male offspring.

Item Type:

Conference or Workshop Item (Speech)

Division/Institute:

07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Education > Educational Psychology

UniBE Contributor:

Makarova, Elena

Subjects:

300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 370 Education

Language:

English

Submitter:

Elena Makarova

Date Deposited:

13 Jan 2015 15:20

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:38

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Children, Family, Gender, Value transmission

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/61393

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