Socialization in changing cultural contexts: A search for images of the "adaptive adult"

In recent years increasing attention has been paid to the significant roles of culture and socialization in child development. The conceptual framewor k presented in this article is derived from the fields of cross-cultural ch ild development, immigration, and ethnic minority studies. The article focu ses on the relationship between cultural contexts and images of an "adaptiv e adult," which is proposed as a guiding metaphor in the organization of ch ild-rearing ideologies and practices, which in turn are influenced by the v alues, experience, culture, and behavior of socializing agents within a giv en culture. The article explains how this concept is rooted in past and fut ure time orientations and in the duality of public and private cultures. Th e article also explores changes in images of the adaptive adult in interact ion with ecological components. Examples from the authors' research in Isra el, as well as the research of others, are cited. The article concludes wit h a general discussion of the potential contribution that this framework ca n make to social workers dealing with immigrant, migrant, and ethnic minori ty children and families.