Dominant Dyads in Hindu and Confucian Families: The Uneasy Case Relating Unconscious Masculinity and Pragmatism

Abstract

Hsus hypothesis relating social structure and cultural ethos through family dyads is the basis of this study of dominant dyads in Hindu and Confucian families. Data was obtained from a series of 11 completion drawings administered to a total of 600 high school students (both boys and girls) from middle class families in Taiwan India and the US. Attention was directed to the dominance of mother-son relationships in Hindu families of Northern India and also to the dominance of the father-son relationship in the Chinese families of Taiwan. Application of Hsus hypothesis should predict a greater femininity among Indian males as compared to Chinese males. Results showed a basic discrimination between boys and girls in each of the 3 cultures. The degree by which girls exceeded boys in femininity increased from a low in the US to a high in India. The same pattern of femininity levels was found for boys in the 3 countries. One must not overlook the tentative nature of assumed cross cultural validity for what are essentially psychological tests. Even if such validity is certain the question of the applicability of such measures as reflectors of potentially important aspects of mans interaction with his social milieu must be further explored before arriving at firm conclusions.