Intergenerational conflicts and transmission of values in raising 0–2-year-old chinese babies

Abstract

Baby raising is not only related to psychology or pedagogy seeking for the “best” and “evidence-based” practices but it is embedded in particular cultural practices. Family interaction in baby raising is a process of cultural transmission influenced by family members’ position in the social structure. The present study focused on how two generations resolve the intergenerational conflicts and transmit their value orientations when grandparents are involved in baby raising. Ten typical families are sampled according to family background and conflict coping style. It was found that in Chinese families, the intergenerational conflict about baby raising is essentially a struggle for family authority to define the boundaries of different role identity, where the generation having a higher position in the social structure has more possibilities to gain authority and therefore the chance to transmit their value orientations in raising young babies.