Long-term socialisation goals and the construction of infants' social networks among middle class Anglo and Puerto Rican mothers

This study examined the relation between mothers' long-term socialisation g oals and the social networks they construct for their infants. Middle class Anglo (n = 32) and Puerto Rican (n = 28) mothers were interviewed regardin g: (a) their long-term socialisation goals; (b) how often their infants' ty pically have contact with friends and family members; and (c) specific fami ly circumstances which might influence contact with relatives, including ge ographic distance, maternal employment status, and child care arrangements. Study results indicated that mothers' long-term socialisation goals were c orrelated with the type and frequency of social contacts they structured fo r their infants. Moreover, limited evidence was found for the influence of group membership on frequency of contact with relatives, despite individual variations in family circumstances. Results are interpreted as illuminatin g one aspect of the interface between cultural beliefs and socialisation pr actices within the constructs of individualism/sociocentrism.