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- Title
Obedience and Autonomy: Religion and Parental Values Reconsidered.
- Authors
Ellison, Christopher G.; Sherkat, Darren E.
- Abstract
A long research tradition examines the relationships between religion and parental values, defined broadly as the traits that adults find most desirable in children. Two such traits have been of particular interest: obedience and intellectual autonomy. We argue that contemporary Conservative Protestants are prone to endorse authoritarian parenting orientations disproportionately - that is, to value obedience at the expense of autonomy. In addition, contrary to the thrust of some previous research, we hypothesize that Catholics tend to embrace more authoritarian child-rearing values than do non-Conservative Protestants. and other Americans. OLS regression and structural equation models confirm that Conservative Protestants are especially supportive of obedience. However, they are no less enthusiastic than others about intellectual autonomy in children. Conservative Protestant valuation of obedience is linked with three theological positions: biblical literalism, belief that human nature is sinful, and punitive attitudes toward sinners. Hypotheses regarding Catholics are also confirmed, although the magnitude of Catholic effects is less pronounced. Several directions for future research on religious differences in parent-child relations are recommended.
- Subjects
UNITED States; PARENT-child relationships; OBEDIENCE -- Religious aspects; PROTESTANTS; CATHOLICS; UNITED States religions
- Publication
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 1993, Vol 32, Issue 4, p313
- ISSN
0021-8294
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/1387172