Instructions for Collecting Data

Psychology 202

Cultural Variations in Child Rearing

For this option of the Brief Research Project, you will interview someone who has been the primary caretaker for an infant. This person should be someone you know very well and who will feel comfortable talking with you. It is probably best if you interview your mother about how she raised you or a woman of your mother's generation about how she raised her child.

It is very important for meaningful data, for the person's protection, and for your relationship with the person that you listen carefully to what she says and that you are not judgmental about her responses. It is very likely that you will disagree with some of her choices, but try not to communicate this to her, at least during the interview. Try to say as little as possible about your own opinions - this is an interview, not a discussion. If you interview your own mother or another person who is close to you and find yourself having emotional reactions to what she says, feel free to talk to discuss your reactions with the instructor.

Here are the steps for collecting data for this option.

1. Figure out who you would like to interview.

2. Explain to the person you are interviewing that infant care practices differ in different cultures around the world and in the United States and that you would like to do an interview for a project that will explore infant care practices and the reasons behind them.

3. Ask the questions from the "Data Collection Sheet." When questions are grouped together under one number, get the answer to each question before going on to the next. Sometimes an earlier question is more open-ended and therefore involves less "cueing" than a later question in the series. In some cases, you may have more confidence in the information if it comes out more spontaneously and with less cueing. You therefore will want to elicit answers to the more open-ended questions before adding the cues from the more structured questions. Don't worry if you get more extensive information in response to some questions than to others. You will be basing your write-up on the totality of information and ideas you elicit.

4. Bring your completed data sheet to discussion section next week (Week 6 of the term).

Data Collection Sheet

Psychology 202

Cultural Variations in Child Rearing

SLEEPING

1. Where did your infant sleep at birth? Did anybody share the same bed or room? What were your reasons for this arrangement? Did your reasons have anything to do with your goals for your baby's development or with the baby's physical well-being?

2a. Were there any changes in these arrangements through the first year of life? What were they? When did they occur? Why did you make these changes? Did your reasons have anything to do with your goals for your baby's development or with the baby's physical well-being?

2b. (For babies that shared the same bed with another family member) What was the baby's reactions when this changed?

3a. Did you see any connection between a baby's sleeping location and arrangements and the baby's development, health, and safety when your child was an infant?

3b. Has your view changed in any way?

4. How do you feel about the practice of a baby sleeping in the same bed with another family member?

5. How do you feel about the practice of a baby sleeping alone in a separate room?

FEEDING

6. Was your baby breast or bottle fed at birth? If breast fed, for how long?

7. How did you decide when it was time to feed the baby? Did you feed the baby whenever s/he cried or was the feeding schedule more structured?

8. Why did you decide on these particular feeding arrangements? How satisfied or comfortable were you with them?

BEDTIME ROUTINES

9. Did your baby fall asleep alone or in someone's company? Whose? Did this change over the first year of life? When and how? What were your reasons for choosing to do it this way?

10. Did your baby fall asleep at the same time as you or separately? What were your reasons for choosing to do it this way?

11. Did your infant receive special bedtime activities (e.g., bedtime story, lullaby, bathing or toothbrushing routine)? Why or why not?

12. Did your baby use a security object (e.g., blanket or stuffed animal) for falling asleep? Why or why not?

13. (If the interviewee has more than one child) Were there any differences in the sleeping and feeding arrangements for your first and later children? Why?