Children's Conceptions of Social Situations and Mothers' Responses in the Home Context

가정 맥락에서 유아의 사회적 상황에 대한 개념과 어머니의 반응인식

This study examined preschool children's conceptions of social situations and mothers' responses toward their children in the home context. Participants were 78 kindergarten children and their mothers living Seoul, Korea. Results indicated that children did not distinguish social-conventional situations from moral situations, but they clearly distinguished social-conventional and moral situations from personal situations. Mothers' reported that they would make indirect responses to children's behaviors in moral situations to highlight intrinsic consequences such as violating others' rights and happiness. In contrast, they said that they would make direct responses such as mentioning rules and manners in social-conventional situations. Mothers supported their children's choices in personal situations unless the situations were dangerous or detrimental to children's health.