MOTHER-INFANT, FATHER-INFANT INTERACTION AND INVOLVEMENT IN CHILD-CARE AND HOUSEHOLD LABOR AMONG TAIWANESE FAMILIES

Mother-infant and father-infant interactions were observed in the home , and parents provided estimates of their involvement in caregiving an d household activities in 25 Taiwanese families. Observations indicate d that mothers held infants more than did fathers and were more likely to feed, smile at, vocalize to, and engage in object play with them t han were fathers. Fathers engaged in more rough play with infants than did mothers. There were no gender-of-parent differences in soothing i nfants or displaying affection to them. Mothers and fathers treated ma les and females quite similarly. Infants smiled at, vocalized to, appr oached, and were more distressed in the presence of mothers than in th e presence of fathers. The questionnaire data revealed a markedly gend er-differentiate pattern of involvement in childcare and household act ivities. The results were hypothesized to reflect Taiwanese societal r igidity in gender roles and filial piety.