Maternal control and self-control in the 3-year-old child

Abstract

A situation was observed in which mothers were asked to control their preschool children’s behavior. In a playroom divided into four parts by tape on the floor, each quadrant contained a table and chair, with toys on either three or all four of the tables. The mother was asked to attempt to keep her 3-year-old child from crossing the dividing lines and playing with toys in the three quadrants designated off limits. Although the availability of nonforbidden toys had only a marginal effect, the mothers were significantly able to decrease their children’s activity. Mothers whose children entered off-limits areas of the room most often spent the most time issuing instructions and commands to the child. Children who spent the most time vocalizing seemed to have the best self-control, that is, spent the least time playing with forbidden toys. The measures of child noncompliant behaviors were significantly correlated with each other. Other techniques used by mothers included distraction, retrieval and holding, reasoning, and bargaining. © 1978, Phychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.