AVERSIVE MATERNAL CONTROL AND AMBIGUITY AS DETERMINANTS OF VISUAL RESPONSES OF CHILDREN TO THEIR MOTHERS

Based on theoretical assumptions of the ''two-process model'' (Krohne) and the ''control-pattern model'' (Heilbrun) of parental child-rearin g effects, hypotheses concerning associations between the looking beha vior of the child towards the mother and specific patterns of child-re aring behavior were tested in a moderately stress-inducing situation. For this purpose, the visual interaction of 63 mothers and their eight to 14 year-old children was observed during a ten-minutes planning pe riod for a Punch and Judy show which the child later had to perform. I n accordance with hypotheses maternal aversiveness and inconsistency i nteracted with regard to the looking behavior of the child: Children e xposed to consistent maternal aversiveness were looking less at their mothers than the other groups did. Children reporting about inconsiste nt maternal aversiveness, however, spent comparatively much time looki ng at their mothers.