The question of ownness: Influence of relationship context on parental socialization strategies

A relational perspective on socialization explores how the distinctive pare nt-child relationship context affects the dynamics of parent-child interact ions. Forty mothers responded to hypothetical transgressions involving shor t-term and longterm socialization issues in three different relationship co ntexts: their own child, their child's best friend, and an unfamiliar child . Mothers reported different affective reactions, socialization goals, and discipline strategies depending on the nature of the relationship and also depending on the nature of the socialization issue. Mothers reported that t hey would experience more emotional upset, have more future-oriented goals, and employ more power assertion, teaching and reasoning strategies for the ir own child compared with unrelated children. They also used these strateg ies more frequently for transgressions involving long-term issues. The disc ussion explored how various dimensions of relationships (past history, futu re course, interdependence) are represented in how mothers handle disciplin ary interactions with their children.