Barn-vårdaranknytning i Östafrika—finns det en generell modell för relationsutveckling?

Abstract

Risholm-Mothander, P.: The development of the child-caregiver relationship in East Africa. Nordisk Psykologi, 1985, 37 (2), 109–118.

A dualistic structure of thinking is reflected in western theories of personality development and in the methods used for measuring this development. For example, consider the dualistic and dialogical approaches to the form and content of the parent-child interaction. In group orientated societies like those found in East Africa, dyadic reinforcement is not encouraged. Instead, body contact between child and caregiver, in the absence of eye-contact or dialogue, plays an important role. In contrast to Mahler's account of psychological birth, the normal East African child does not become an individual with a strong ego and conscious of its own resources, but develops a strong group ego which dominates the individual ego. The article argues that psychologists who want also to understand the development of personality in children from other cultures, must extend their knowledge of the influence of cultural values on the early child-caregiver relationship.