Expectations about Development in Greek- and Anglo-Australian Families

Abstract

The present study explored the beliefs held about child development in two cultural groups. Expectations about the ages at which certain competencies emerge were elicited from members (mother, father, adolescent) of 20 Greek Australian and 20 Anglo-Australian families. They were also asked to nominate desirable qualities for teenagers and adults. Greek-Australians consistently regarded behaviors reflecting initiative and independence, personal maturity, and interpersonal sensitivity to be appropriate at a later age than did Anglo-Australians, but the converse held for respect, self-control, and unsupervised activities. The results suggest that parents' developmental timetables reflect cultural values.