Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The relation with one's parents is perhaps the most important variable in predicting future interpersonal relationships. To measure current attitudes toward relationships with parents 34 college men and 55 women from general psychology were administered two statements: “My relationship with my MOTHER can best be described as Great!, Good, Average, Poor, Awful!,” and “My relationship with my FATHER can best be described as Great!, Good, Average, Poor, Awful!” Sign tests showed significantly higher ratings for relationships with mothers (Good) than with fathers (Average to Good). Also, sons rated their relationships with their mothers (Good) as significantly better than with their fathers (Average to Good), yet daughters rated mothers and fathers about equally (Average to Good). The data are interpreted in terms of social learning theory and psychoanalytic theory.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Amoroso

D. M.

Ware

E. E.

(1986) Adolescents' perceptions of aspects of the home environment and their attitudes toward parents, self, and external authority. Adolescence, 81, 191–204.

Bandura

(1977) Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Dillman

D. B.

(1989) Effects of negative parental attitudes on female undergraduates. Journal of College Student Development, 30, 413–419.

Duncan

D. F.

(1978) Measuring the generation gap: Attitudes toward parents and other adults. Adolescence, 49, 77–81.

Freud

(1924/1963) The passing of the Oedipus-Complex. In Rieff

(Ed.), Freud: Sexuality and the psychology of love. New York: Collier Books. Pp. 176–182. (Original work published 1924).

Harris

I. D.

Howard

K. I.

(1979) Phenomenological correlations of perceived quality of parenting: A questionnaire study of high school students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 8, 171–180.

Niles

F. S.

(1979) The adolescent girl's perception of parents and peers. Adolescence, 55, 591–597.

Rigby

Rump

E. E.

(1981) Attitudes toward parents and institutional authorities during adolescence. The Journal of Psychology, 109, 109–118.

Sanders

J. L.

(1986) Egyptian and American university students' attitudes toward parents and family. The Journal of Social Psychology, 126, 459–463.

College Students' Attitudes toward Relationships with Their Parents as a Function of Gender

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References