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- Title
A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Perceptions of Paternalistic Deficiencies in the United States: The Myth of the Derelict Daddy.
- Authors
Mackey, Wade C.
- Abstract
The image of the American father figure, as depicted by both the professional and the popular media, ranges from neutrality to one of a negative connotation: unavailable, aloof, inadequate, incompetent, fumbling. Empirical data from 18 cultures on adult-child proxemic interactions suggest that American fathers may be providing normative contact time and normative interaction with their children. The apparent inconsistency between the image and the behavior is examined. It is argued that the status-role complexes of ‘primary child caretaker’ and of ‘soldier’ are incompatible. Because males have been universally given the status of soldier, they cannot also be given the status of primary child caretaker. To prevent or reduce role conflict, the males are socialized to avoid internalizing the status of primary child caretaker. Once the symboling system is internalized, with the symbols of soldier and primary child caretaker discretely compartmentalized, then the actual behaviors can overlap considerably. The inconsistency of the image and the data is suggested to reflect a delicate societal charade which shields high levels of man-child interaction from social tampering.
- Subjects
FATHER figures; ROLE conflict; SOCIAL role; CHILD care; ADULT-child relationships; SPATIAL behavior; BEHAVIOR; MILITARY personnel; ROLE expectation
- Publication
Sex Roles, 1985, Vol 12, Issue 5-6, p509
- ISSN
0360-0025
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/BF00288173