Table Of ContentSocial Influences
and Socialization
in Infancy
Genesis of Behavior
Series Editors: MICHAEL LEWIS
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, New Jersey
and LEONARD A. ROSENBLUM
Downstate Medical Center
Brooklyn, New York
Volume 1 The Development of Affect
Volume 2 The Child and Its Family
Volume 3 The Uncommon Child
Volume 4 Beyond the Dyad
Volume 5 The Socialization of Emotions
Volume 6 Social Influences and Socialization in Infancy
Social Influences
and Socialization
in Infancy
Edited by
Michael Lewis
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
New Brunswick, New Jersey
and
Saul Feinman
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
Library of Congress Cataloglng-ln-PublIcatlon Data
Social Influences and socialization in Infancy / edited by Michael
Lewis and Saul Feinman.
p. cm. — (Genesis of behavior ; v. 6)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Infant psychology—Social aspects. 2. Child psychology—Social
aspects. 3. Socialization. I. Lewis, Michael, 1937 Jan. lu
ll. Feinman, Saul. III. Series.
[DNLM 1. Child Development. 2. Family. 3. Infant.
4. Socialization. W1 GE275 v. 6 / WS 105.5.S6 S678]
BF720.S63S623 1990
305.23' 2—dc20
DNLM/DLC
for Library of Congress 90-14308
CIP
ISBN 978-1-4899-2622-7 ISBN 978-1-4899-2620-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4899-2620-3
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1991
Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1991
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1991
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
Contributors
K. ALISON CLARKE-STEWART, Program in Social Ecology, University of Cal
ifornia, Irvine, California 92717
JUDITH F. DUNN, Department of Human Development and Family Studies,
College of Health and Human Development, Penn State University, Univer
sity Park, Pennsylvania 16802
SAUL FEINMAN, Child and Family Studies, Department of Home Economics,
University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071
JACOB L. GEWIRTZ, Department of Psychology, Florida International Univer
sity, Miami, Florida 33199
VIRGINIA GUNDERSON, Department of Psychology, University of Washington,
Seattle, Washington 98195
JAMES JACCARD, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at
Albany, Albany, New York 12222
SHARON LANDESMAN, Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Frank Por
ter Graham Child Development Center, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
MICHAEL LEWIS, Institute for the Study of Child Development, Robert Wood
Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903-0019
JOHN E. RICHTERS, Child and Adolescent Disorders Research Branch, National
Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, Maryland 20857
BARBARA ROGOFF, Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake
City, Utah 84112
v
vi CONTRIBUTORS
LEONARD A. ROSENBLUM, Department of Psychiatry, SUNY Health Sciences
Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203
H. RUDOLPH SCHAFFER, Department of Psychology, University of Strathclude,
Glasgow, Scotland G1-IRD, United Kingdom
INA C. UZGIRIS, Department of Psychology, Clark University, Worcester, Mas
sachusetts 01610
EVERETT WATERS, Department of Psychology, SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony
Brook, New York 11794-2500
Preface
How are we to understand the complex forces that shape human behav
ior? A variety of diverse perspectives, drawing on studies of human
behavioral ontogeny, as well as humanity's evolutionary heritage, seem
to provide the best likelihood of success. It is in an attempt to synthesize
such potentially disparate approaches to human development into an
integrated whole that we undertake this series on the genesis of behav-
ior.
In many respects, the incredible burgeoning of research in child
development over the last two decades or so seems like a thousand lines
of inquiry spreading outward in an incoherent starburst of effort. The
need exists to provide, on an ongoing basis, an arena of discourse within
which the threads of continuity among those diverse lines of research on
human development can be woven into a fabric of meaning and under
standing. Scientists, scholars, and those who attempt to translate their
efforts into the practical realities of the care and guidance of infants and
children are the audience that we seek to reach. Each requires the oppor
tunity to see-to the degree that our knowledge in given areas per
mits-various aspects of development in a coherent, integrated fashion.
It is hoped that this series-which brings together research on infant
biology, developing infant capacities, animal models, and impact of so
cial, cultural, and familial forces on development, and the distorted
products of such forces under certain circumstances-serves these
important social and scientific needs.
Each volume in this series deals with a single topic that has broad
significance for our understanding of human development. Into its
focus on a specific area, each volume brings both empirical and the
oretical perspectives and analysis at the many levels of investigation
necessary to a balanced appreciation of the complexity of the problem at
hand. Thus, each volume considers the confluence of the genetic, psy
chological, and neurophysiological factors that influence the individual
infant, and the dyadic, familial, and societal contexts within which de
velopment occurs. Moreover each volume brings together the vantage
vii
viii PREFACE
points provided by studies of human infants and pertinent aspects of
animal behavior, with particular emphasis on nonhuman primates.
Just as this series draws on the special expertise and viewpoints of
workers in many disciplines, it is our hope that the product of these
labors speaks to the needs and interests of a diverse audience, including
physiologists, ethologists, sociologists, psychologists, pediatricians, ob
stetricians, and clinicians and scientists in many related fields. As in
years past, we hold to our original objectives in this series of volumes to
provide both stimulation and guidance to all among us who are con
cerned with humans, their past, their present, and their future.
The current volume examines the various ways in which the devel
opment of very young children is facilitated and modified through social
influence and socialization processes. Although this broad issue was not
the most central topic of investigation during the formative years of
infancy research, recent years have witnessed a rekindling of interest in
the socialization of infants and toddlers. This volume is intended to
serve as a reflection, an integration, and an expansion of such work.
The volume is organized into two main sections: Sources of Influ
ence and Processes of Influence. However, it should be noted that the
integration of processes with sources within natural contexts is a theme
which can be found throughout the chapters. A wide range of sources is
considered, ranging from the macro-level influences of social structure
to the micro-level influences of the self. Similarly, the processes exam
ined run the gamut from strikingly direct approaches, such as operant
conditioning, to distinctly indirect methods, such as imitation and social
guidance. The predominant disciplinary orientation of the contributors
is that of developmental psychology, and the chapters of this volume are
most strongly influenced by the thinking of that discipline. Neverthe
less, other perspectives-primarily primatology, social psychology and
sociology-are represented as well.
As one might expect, the social influence model which underlies
and unites the diverse chapters of this volume emphasizes the socializa
tion impact of such influences upon very young children. But this model
also highlights the salience of individual variation among children in
mediating the outcomes of influence. It is recognized that the charac
teristics and reactions of children play a major role in determining the
socialization impact of such influence. Furthermore, underlying the
chapters of this volume is the shared assumption that adult sensitivity to
inter- and intra-individual variation in children serves to mediate and
influence outcomes. In this light, there is just as much concern for varia
tional patterns as for typologies and averages. Finally, very young chil
dren are viewed not only as receiving influence from others, but as
PREFACE ix
giving influence as well. What we have here, then, is a collection of
contributions integrated by their common focus upon how very young
children are socially influenced and socialized in a social context charac
terized by sensitivity, individual variation, and mutuality of influence.
MICHAEL LEWIS
SAUL FEINMAN
