Attitudes to parenthood were explored in prospective adopters and ordinary parents by means of a repertory grid technique. Contentment and mother-hood were more strongly associated in the minds of wives than contentment andfatherhood in the minds of husbands. Men (especially when childless) were likely to associate fatherhood with masculinity, whereas femininity and motherhood were conceptually independent in both groups of women. The findings are interpreted as supporting the concept of traditional differences between male and female viewpoints.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BANNISTER, D. , & FRANSELLA, F.Inquiring man: The theory of personal constructs. Harmondsworth: Penguin , 1971.
2.
BANNISTER, D. , & MAIR, J. M. M.The evaluation of personal constructs. London: Academic , 1968.
3.
BERNARD, J.The future of marriage. New York: Bantam , 1972.
4.
BURGESS, E. W. , & COTTRELL, L. S.Predicting success and failure in marriage. New York: Prentice-Hall , 1939.
5.
BURGESS, E. W. , & WALLIN, P.Engagement and marriage. Philadelphia: Lippincott , 1953.
6.
DION, K. , BERSCHEID, E. , & WALSTER, E.What is beautiful is good . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1972, 24, 285-290 .
7.
HUMPHREY, M.The hostage seekers: A study of childless and adopting couples. London: Longmans , 1969.
8.
HUMPHREY, M. Childless marriage as a basis for adoptive parenthood. Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of London, 1973.
9.
KELLY, G. A.The psychology of personal constructs. Vol. I, A theory of personality. New York: Norton , 1955.
10.
LEWIS, H.Medical responsibility in adoption . British Medical Journal, 1960, 1, 1197-1200 .
11.
MURRAY, H. A.Manual of the Thematic Apperception Test. Cambridge: Harvard University Press , 1943.
12.
SEGLOW, J. , PRINGLE, M. L. K. , & WEDGE, P.Growing up adopted: A long-term national study of adopted children and their families. Windsor: NFER , 1972.
