What Values and Traits Do Parents Teach to Their Children?

Why We Conduct Research?

At The Culture Factor Group, we believe in unlocking culture with data. Our research advances the understanding of how culture shapes decisions, organizations, and societies. By analysing large-scale data, we refine existing models, challenge  assumptions, and provide insights that drive better leadership, HR policies, and global strategies.

This study is relevant to cross-cultural researchers, sociologists, educators, and policymakers interested in understanding how cultural values are transmitted across generations. By analysing how parents socialize their children in 54 countries, this research contributes to cross-cultural psychology, educational outcomes, and economic inequality discussions.

Beyond academic insights, this research provides evidence that parenting ideologies correlate with national economic and educational differences, reinforcing the societal impact of cultural values.

Purpose of the research

The study investigates how parents across different cultures prioritise values and traits when advising their children. Specifically, it aims to:

• Identify cultural dimensions in parenting ideologies.
• Assess whether these dimensions align with Hofstede’s cultural frameworks.
• Understand how these cultural values correlate with economic and educational disparities.

Findings

The study identified two primary cultural dimensions in parenting socialisation:

1. Collectivism vs. Individualism: Found along a South-North geographic axis, this dimension correlates with economic inequality and gender disparities.
   • Collectivist societies emphasise group harmony, obedience, and humility.
   • Individualist societies stress independence, self-expression, and personal achievement.
2. Monumentalism vs. Flexibility: Found along a West-East geographic axis, this dimension is linked to national educational achievement levels.
   1. Monumentalism cultures (Short Term Orientation) emphasise self-stability, tradition, and moral absolutism.
   2. Flexible cultures (Long Term Orientation) promote adaptability, self-improvement, and pragmatic decision-making.

These findings suggest that cultural transmission through parenting significantly influences societal structures, including education and economic inequality.

Implications

For educators: Understanding how parenting ideologies shape academic performance can help design better educational policies.
For policymakers: Addressing cultural disparities in education and economic inequality requires acknowledging the deep-rooted influence of parenting values.
For businesses: Marketers and HR professionals can use these insights to tailor leadership development and communication strategies in culturally diverse environments.

Methodology

• Sample Size: 52,300 respondents
• 54 countries.
• Data Collection:
  • Probabilistic sampling except in some countries where convenience sampling was used.
  • Online surveys (2015-2016), with Kazakhstan using face-to-face interviews.
• Key Variables: Parenting advice on values such as humility, obedience, generosity, independence, and self-control.
• Responses were analysed to extract common cultural dimensions.

Research Limitations/Implications

• Some culturally specific values were excluded due to difficulties in standardising them across countries.
• While the study identifies strong correlations, it does not prove causation between parenting values and societal outcomes.
• The data is representative mainly of urban and educated populations, which may affect generalisability in developing countries.

What is peer reviewed?

This research has undergone a rigorous peer-review process, ensuring that its methodology, findings, and conclusions meet the highest academic standards. Peer review involves independent evaluation by experts in the field, ensuring objectivity, reliability, and scientific integrity.

• Title: What Values and Traits Do Parents Teach to Their Children? New Data from 54 Countries
• Authors: Michael Minkov, Pinaki Dutt, Michael Schachner, Janar Jandosova, Yerlan Khassenbekov, Oswaldo Morales, Carlos Javier Sanchez, Ben Mudd
• Journal: Comparative Sociology
• Publisher: Brill
• Article Publication Date: 2018
• DOI: 10.1163/15691330-12341456
• This study was sponsored financially by MediaCom, Ltd., a multinational media agency. MediaCom did not interfere in any way with the design of the study, the data collection, or the data analysis.