Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
Home> Volumes> Volume CHR Vol.52> Article
Research Article

Parental Influence on Moral Development: Role of Temperament and Self-Regulation

Yifeng ZuoLehigh University*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Parental influence plays a vital role in the formation of children's moral development. This paper aims to comprehensively review mainly focused on past decade empirical research and theoretical perspectives, and explore the impact of different parenting styles, child traits and cultural backgrounds on moral outcomes. The systematic review includes qualitative and quantitative studies to provide a balanced perspective on the role of parents in moral development. The findings consistently emphasize that authoritative parenting, warmth with attributes, and control can promote positive moral outcomes. However, the temperament and cultural background of the children significantly mitigated these effects. However, the impact of these parenting styles is not uniform across all children. These effects are considerably moderated by cultural background and child temperament, including emotional reactivity and self-regulation levels. For example, children raised in collectivist vs individualist cultures or those with more difficult temperaments could react differently to the same parenting techniques. This paper identifies the major gaps in current research, including the need for longitudinal and cross-cultural studies research, and proposes future research directions, particularly regarding the impact of modern technology on ethical development.

Keywords: Parenting styles; Self-regulation; Cross-cultural research; Moral development; Temperament
Published: December 31, 2024
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2024.19112
Volume: CHR Vol.52
pp. 181-185
Download PDF

References

  1. Piaget, J. (1962). The stages of the intellectual development of the child. Bulletin of the Menninger clinic, 26(3), 120.
  2. Kohlberg, L., & Hersh, R. H. (1977). Moral development: A review of the theory. Theory into practice, 16(2), 53-59.
  3. Grusec, J. E. (2019). Domains of socialization: Implications for parenting and the development of Children’s moral behavior and cognitions. In D. J. Laible, G. Carlo, & L. M. Padilla-Walker (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of parenting and moral development. (pp. 73–90). Oxford University Press.
  4. Yoo, H. N., & Smetana, J. G. (2022). Associations among child temperament, parenting, and young children’s moral and conventional understanding: The moderating role of self‐regulation. Social Development, 31(3), 619–638. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.lehigh.edu/10.1111/sode.12571
  5. Smetana, J. G. (2017). Current research on parenting styles, moral development, and children's socialization. Wiley.
  6. Lamborn, S. D., Mounts, N. S., Steinberg, L., & Dornbusch, S. M. (1991). Patterns of competence and adjustment among adolescents from authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful families. Child Development, 62(5), 1049–1065.
  7. Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology Monograph, 4(1, Pt.2), 1–103.
  8. Hart, C. H., Newell, L. D., & Olsen, S. F. (2003). Parenting skills and social-communicative competence in childhood. In J. O. Greene & B. R. Burleson (Eds.), Handbook of communication and social interaction skills (pp. 753–797). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  9. Hastings, P. D., Rubin, K. H., & DeRose, L. M. (2005). Links among gender, inhibition, and parental socialization in the development of prosocial behavior. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 51(4), 467–493.
  10. Darling, N., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting style as context: An integrative model. Psychological Bulletin, 113(3), 487–496.
  11. Pinquart, M., & Kauser, R. (2018). Do the associations of parenting styles with behavior problems and academic achievement vary by culture? Results from a meta-analysis. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 24(1), 75–100.
  12. Pellerin, L. A. (2005). Applying Baumrind’s parenting typology to high schools: Toward a middle-range theory of authoritative socialization. Social Science Research, 34(2), 283–303.
  13. [Rote, Wendy M., and Savannah R. Flak. 2023. “Perceptions of Parenting and Moral Development.” In Handbook of Moral Development., 3rd Ed., edited by Melanie Killen and Judith G. Smetana, 373–88. New York, NY: Routledge.
  14. Vu, K. T. T., Cheah, C. S. L., Zhou, N., Leung, C. Y. Y., Li, J., & Yamamoto, Y. (2018). The socialization areas in which European American and Chinese immigrant mothers express warmth and control. Parenting: Science and Practice, 18(4), 259–277. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.lehigh.edu/10.1080/15295192.2018.1524244
  15. Augustine, M. E., & Stifter, C. A. (2015). Temperament, parenting, and moral development: Specificity of behavior and context. Social Development, 24(2), 285–303. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.lehigh.edu/10.1111/sode.12092
  16. dos Santos, M. A., de Freitas e Castro, J. M., & de Freitas Lino Pinto Cardoso, C. S. (2020). The moral emotions of guilt and shame in children: Relationship with parenting and temperament. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(10), 2759–2769. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.lehigh.edu/10.1007/s10826-020-01766-6
  17. Sengsavang, S., & Krettenauer, T. (2015). Children’s moral self-concept: The role of aggression and parent–child relationships. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 61(2), 213–235. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.lehigh.edu/10.13110/merrpalmquar1982.61.2.0213
  18. Di Pentima, L., Toni, A., & Roazzi, A. (2023). Parenting styles and moral disengagement in young adults: The mediating role of attachment experiences. The Journal of Genetic Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2023.2205451
  19. Termini, K. A., & Golden, J. A. (2007). Moral behaviors: What can behaviorists learn from the developmental literature? International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 3(4), 477–493. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.lehigh.edu/10.1037/h0100818