Compliance and self-assertion: Young children's responses to mothers versus fathers.

Abstract

To provide data on the development of compliace and self-assertion toward mothers and fathers, 2-, 4-, and 6-year-old children were observed in their homes. Compared with younger children, older children were more compliant, more likely to use logical argument, and less likely to ignore or to show defiance. Two-year-olds showed more ignoring of their fathers, whereas 4-years-olds were more ignoring of their mothers and showed greater compliance to their fathers. Regardless of age, boys showed higher levels of compliance to their fathers, whereas girls did not respnd differentially to mothers or fathers