Esperanza Ceballos

Do children's perceptions and attributions mediate the effects of mothers' child-rearing actions?

The authors analyzed whether the relation between maternal child-rearing behaviors and a childs self-regulation was mediated by the accuracy in the childs perceptions of the mothers goals and methods and by the direction of attributions for the mothers intentions. Sixty mothers with children 7-10 years old were asked how and why they would react in 15 hypothetical situations. Children were interviewed to assess the accuracy of their perceptions and the direction of their attributions. To assess the childrens self-regulation, mothers and children were observed planning an excursion. LISREL analysis showed that the reported use of both control and demandingness and of responsiveness has a positive influence on the accuracy of childrens perceptions and, in turn, on their self-regulation. However, part of the positive impact of control and demandingness on childrens self-regulation was due to the effect of positive attributions on the accuracy of perceptions.

Reasoning and action complexity: Sources and consequences on maternal child-rearing behaviour

In this study, two approaches of complexity of maternal thinking were examined: Newberger’s(1980) analysis of reasoning complexity, and Vallacher and Wegner’s (1985) analysis of action complexity, that was adapted to the parenting ” eld. Measures for action complexity and for maternal behaviours were derived from hypothetical child-rearing situations and from mother-child observed interactions. Links between reasoning and action complexity to child-rearing actions and to sources, such as socioeconomic status (SES) were explored in a Spanish sample of 60 mothers with a child 7 to 10 years old. Moreover, it was proposed that the relation between SES and maternal child-rearing behaviour was mediated by either form of complexity. A LISREL model for the hypothetical situations showed that the influence of SES on less positive child rearing was only mediated by Reasoning complexity, whereas Action complexity showed an independent path to positive child-rearing behaviour. A LISREL model for the observed situations showed that both maternal reasoning complexity and action complexity played an equivalent mediating role between maternal SES and negative child-rearing behaviour. The theoretical and methodological implications of both aspects of complexity to the analysis of child-rearing behaviour were discussed.

Efectos evolutivos y contextuales en la adopción de perspectivas y en la argumentación escrita

Resumen En el presente artículo se analiza la relación entre la capacidad para adoptar puntos de vista diferentes a los propios y la producción de textos argumentativos. Para ello, se trabajó con 199 alumnos pertenecientes a 4° y 6° de Educación Primaria y 2° y 4° de la ESO que fueron asignados a dos condiciones: “contexto participativo” (con debate en clase) y “contexto observador”. Cada uno de los alumnos realizó una tarea de adopción de perspectivas respecto al medioambiente y elaboró un texto con el objetivo de convencer a un compañero sobre sus ideas medioambientales. En cada uno de los textos se evaluó el promedio de aciertos de conocimiento perspectivista así como la presencia de elementos de la estructura lógica argumentativa (propuestas, datos, justificaciones, contraargumentos, refutaciones y conclusiones). Los resultados indicaron que la estructura argumentativa se hace más compleja con la edad. Igualmente, se incrementa el conocimiento perspectivista, especialmenteen el contexto participante. Por otro lado, en el contexto observador los textos presentan mayor número de propuestas y justificaciones para apoyar la opinión personal. El mayor conocimiento perspectivista se relaciona con un aumento significativo en el promedio de contraargumentos y refutaciones, que hacen alusión a otras posturas.

Discurso argumentativo en episodios de conflictos entre padres e hijos adolescentes

Resumen Analizamos el discurso oral en conflictos entre padres e hijos adolescentes desde una perspectiva transactional y evolutiva. Ocho familias fueron grabadas mientras discutían un conflicto. Siguiendo la metodología observational se calculó la frecuencia de ocurrencia y duración de categorías de regulación, de argumentación y emocionales en el discurso del padre, la madre y del hijo y las diferencias según la edad de los adolescentes. Se realizaron análisis secuenciales para detectar la secuencia de las intervenciones de los participantes en la discusión. Según los resultados, padres e hijos elaboran un discurso fundamentalmente argumentativo. La madre incluye elementos de negociación en la adolescencia tardía mientras que el padre elabora un discurso de confrontación. Con la edad, el discurso de los hijos aumenta en complejidad y confrontación, incluyendo argumentos y contraargumentos. La secuencia de interacción en la triada es jerárquica tornándose más democrática hacia el final de la adolescencia.

¿Peleamos o negociamos? La argumentación de los padres y las madres con sus hijos e hijas adolescentes durante los conflictos familiares

The polarization of postures in conflicts among parents and adolescents involve a threat for family harmony. Skills for argumentation and perspective taking are required to enable the achievement of satisfactory agreements during the processes of negotiation. The purpose of this paper has been to analyze the skills of parents and adolescents to adopt other perspectives when discussing a conflict by means of observational methodology. The study was carried out with 29 families (constituted by father, mother and an adolescent son or daughter) who were recorded while they argued about a real conflict. Frequency and duration of five levels of perspective-taking were registered (Myself; Reasoned myself; the other like an obstacle; the other adding to me; and us) in the discourse of the family, and also in the different members of the triad, considering their interrelations. The results were showing a moderated level of perspective-taking in family discussions, predominating the levels Reasoned myself, focused on explaining own perspective, and The other like an obstacle, focused on reasons to contest the perspective of the other. In general parents showed more perspective-taking. Particularly the mothers exhibited more sensitivity with her adolescent son or daughter, providing higher levels of perspective-taking and argumentation.

Multiperspectivistic management of discourse in oral argumentation in academic settings / Gestión multiperspectivista del discurso en la argumentación oral en contextos académicos

Abstract The relationship between perspectivism and oral argumentation is explored by observing eight triads of high school and university students discussing an environmental dilemma, with the aim of convincing their peers. No differences are appreciated between high school and university students regarding the frequency and duration of perspectivistic levels of discourse. When analysing such levels in the whole sample, significant differences are revealed in favour of the me (defence and explanation of own perspective) and other as an obstacle (demolition of others’ positions) levels, compared to the other strategy (legitimate persuasion) and us (search for agreement) levels. Therefore, argumentative discourse is anchored in a reasoned defense of one’s own perspective as well as in the attack on others, displaying a limited perspectivistic development. In relation to the interaction sequences, symmetrical responses are observed towards the me and other as obstacle levels, both in high school and university students, and also towards us in university students. The potential of perspectivism to improve expert argumentation is discussed.