The Socialization of Cooperative, Competitive, and Individualistic Preferences Among Mexican American Children: The Mediating Role of Ethnic Identity

Abstract

Researchers have consistently reported differences in social behavior styles between ethnic minority and majority culture children and suggested that these differences may be the result of the ethnic socialization of culturally prescribed values. Further, these values become an important part of the ethnic identity of minority children and thereby influence their social behaviors. This investigation was designed to examine the mediating role of ethnic identity in the socialization of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic resource allocation preferences among MexicanAmerican children. The subjects were 59 Mexican American children (31 boys and 28 girls) and their mothers. The measures allowed the assessment of mothers' ethnic background and teaching about the Mexican culture, children's ethnic identity, and children's cooperative, competitive, and individualistic preferences. A Structural Equation Modeling analysis indicated that the data were compatible with a model suggesting that the mothers'ethnic background was related to their teaching about the Mexican culture, that, in turn, was related to the children's ethnic identity. Furthermore, the ethnic identity of the children was related to their cooperative, competitive, and individualistic preferences.