Parent Swap Culture Analysis

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The new show Parent Swap is where two sets of parents from different cultures, one from a collectivist culture and one from an individualist culture, swap families for two weeks. Each household is comprised of a multigenerational family; the paternal grandparents, the father and mother, and three children aged 1, 8, and 14-years old. We will first explore the differences between the two cultures as well as the parenting styles of each culture. Then discussing the differences in parental expectations for each of the children within each of the families. In addition, once the parents swap places the way the individualist parents react to their new surroundings brings about a culture clash as it does for the collectivist parents trying to …show more content…

Collectivist cultures, according to Shiraev and Levy (2013), tend to be traditionalists and base their behavior on traditional values (p. 9) and overall concern for the group or family unit (p. 11). Within the collectivist family, traditional family roles are observed for example daughters, wives and mothers must obey fathers, husbands, and sons. In addition, rules within the society are predetermined and are accepted and followed without question (Shiraev & Levy, 2013, p. 9). The parenting style of the collectivist parents leans more towards the authoritarian style of parenting which is based on behavioral controls such as obedience and high demands of the parents on the children (Shiraev & Levy, 2013, p. 193-194). This authoritarian style is not to show the parents’ superiority over the children nor to dominate them, moreover, it is a practice used for the collectivist parents to organize the family by promoting structure. Whereas individualistic cultures tend to base their actions and behaviors on the belief that their own personal needs are more important than those of the group and compete to achieve them (Shiraev & Levy, 2013 p. 11). The parenting style of the individualist family may be more permissive or more egalitarian. Shiraev and Levy (2013) discuss how this parenting style focuses on building the child’s self-esteem (p. 194) and teaches self-expression as well as autonomy (p. 204). This egalitarian style is not to say the parents are weak but to encourage the concept of fairness and that people should advocate for equal rights and equal opportunities, instilling a sense of

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