Being Bien Educado in the United States: Mexican mother's childrearing beliefs and practices in the context of immigration by Delia Tamara Fuster A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Approved December 2011 by the Graduate Supervisory Committee: Angela Arzubiaga, Chair Kathryn Nakagawa Joseph Tobin ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY May 2012 ABSTRACT This multiple case study examined Mexican mothers' beliefs on social and moral development in light of their adaptation to the United States. Super and Harkness' (1986, 2002) ecocultural framework and more specifically, the concept of the developmental niche, guided the analysis. Participants were five Mexican immigrant mothers living in the Phoenix metropolitan area with children between three and four years old. Using participant observation, mothers were shadowed during the day for a period of nine months and were interviewed four times. Additionally, a Q-sort activity on cultural values and a vignette activity were conducted. Evidence of continuity in the importance given to traditional beliefs such as being "bien educado " (proper demeanor) and showing " respeto" (respect) was found. However, the continuity on the teaching of cultural values was accompanied by changes in beliefs and practices. The traditional construct of a " chipil child" (a needy, whiny child) was connected to the idea that mothers somehow need to restrict how much affection, time and gifts they give to their children. This concern was in turn related to the higher access to consumption goods in the United States. It is argued that acculturation is lived differently by mothers, according to their educational attainment, use of expert advice and contact and knowledge with American mainstream culture. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my friend Mayra Marín for helping me transcribe a very long interview, to Amber Johnston, Gerald Blankson and Marco A. Cabrera for being my special messengers in the United States, to Cristina Ahumada for providing information about the participants she interviewed, to Hugo Marenco for reviewing my writing, to Josefa Cavazos for all her moral support, to Rolando Pérez y Vanessa Smith for providing me with space and resources at the Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas of the University of Costa Rica , to Iván Sancho for his encouragement and technical support, to Rafael Monge for providing me a physical space to work, to Armel Brizuela for his good job coding and to my parents for putting up with me all this time. Last but not least, I want to thank my advisor Angela Arzubiaga, for answering my e-mails so quickly and for her detailed reviewing and to my committee members for not giving up on me. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................. ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................... 1 Cognitive anthropology approaches ......................................................... 3 The ecocultural model ............................................................................... 5 European-American families’ child-rearing practices and beliefs ............. 8 Child-rearing practices and beliefs of Mexican parents living in Mexico 11 Childrearing practices and beliefs of Mexican and Mexican-American families in the United States ................................................................... 13 Changes in parental beliefs and childrearing practices .......................... 16 Common sense psychology and scientific psychology ........................... 21 Expert advice and changes in parental theories ..................................... 24 The role of advice in the construction of parental ethnotheories ............ 26 2 METHOD ............................................................................................... 30 Design ..................................................................................................... 30 First wave of data collection .................................................................... 30 Role as a researcher ............................................................................... 35 Analysis of data ....................................................................................... 36 3 LUISA .................................................................................................... 38 Housing and neighborhood ..................................................................... 38 Work and socioeconomic status ............................................................. 39 Living arrangements, family, and arrival to the United States ................ 40 Daily routine ............................................................................................ 40 Language and literacy ............................................................................. 41 CHAPTER Page iii Family of origin ........................................................................................ 41 Luisa’s beliefs and practices on learning and school life ........................ 44 Luisa’s beliefs and practices on discipline .............................................. 45 Luisa’s beliefs on emotional and moral development ............................. 47 Experience with childrearing advice........................................................ 50 Raising children in the United States ...................................................... 51 Summary ................................................................................................. 53 4 BLANCA ................................................................................................ 55 Housing and neighborhood ..................................................................... 55 Work and socioeconomic situation ......................................................... 57 Living arrangements, family, arrival to the United States ....................... 57 Daily routine ............................................................................................ 58 Language and literacy ............................................................................. 58 Family of origin ........................................................................................ 59 Blanca’s beliefs on learning and school life ............................................ 60 Mother’s beliefs and practices on health ................................................ 62 Blanca’s beliefs and practices on discipline ............................................ 62 Blanca’s beliefs on emotional and moral development .......................... 63 Experience with childrearing advice........................................................ 68 Raising children in the United States ...................................................... 69 Summary ................................................................................................. 70 5 NANCY .................................................................................................. 71 Housing and neighborhood ..................................................................... 71 Living arrangements, family, arrival to the United States ....................... 72 Work and socioeconomic situation ......................................................... 73 Daily routine ............................................................................................ 73 CHAPTER Page iv Language and literacy ............................................................................. 74 Family of origin ........................................................................................ 75 Nancy’s beliefs about learning and school life ........................................ 77 Nancy’s beliefs and practices on discipline ............................................ 77 Nancy’s beliefs and practices on learning and school life ...................... 79 Nancy’s beliefs and practices on emotional and moral development ..... 80 Experience with childrearing advice........................................................ 83 Raising children in the United States ...................................................... 84 Summary ................................................................................................. 86 6 CAROLINA ............................................................................................ 88 Housing and neighborhood ..................................................................... 88 Work and socioeconomic status ............................................................. 89 Living arrangements, family and arrival to the United States ................. 89 Daily routine ............................................................................................ 90 Language and literacy ............................................................................. 91 Family of origin ........................................................................................ 91 Carolina’s beliefs and practices on discipline ......................................... 93 Carolina’s beliefs on learning and school ............................................... 95 Carolina’s beliefs and practices on emotional and moral development .. 97 Raising children in the United States ...................................................... 99 Experience with childrearing