Cultural Variations in the Socialization of Young Children’s Anger and Shame

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Full Citation

Cole, P. M., Tamang, B. L., & Shreshtha, S. (2006). Cultural Variations in the Socialization of Children’s Anger and Shame. Child Development Perspectives, 77(5), 1237-1251.

What diversity/subjectivity topics are they discussing?

A detailed comparison of a culture that has a more punitive, shaming response vs. one with a more accepting response.

Your summary or comments on the article

This article gives us additional perspectives on how a family and a whole culture can socialize emotional expression. Anger and shame are some of the topics we see most in psychotherapy. Useful to think about even if we don’t run into either of the specific cultures in the study.

Abstract

Tamang and Brahman Nepali children have culturally specific emotion scripts that may reflect different emotion socialization experiences. To study emotion socialization, the child-adult interactions of 119 children (3-5 years old) were observed and 14 village elders were interviewed about child competence in Tamang and Brahman villages. Tamang rebuke the angry child but reason with and yield to the child who appears ashamed. Brahmans respond to child anger with reasoning and yielding but ignore shame. Tamang practices are consistent with their view that competent children are socially graceful and never angry. Brahman practices appear to be consistent with the privileges and duties of high caste status. The roles of cultural heritage, religious differences, and majority and minority status in emotion socialization are discussed.

Resource contributed by:

Tom Holman