Individualism is way of life when one is caring only about himself and does not interfere in others peoples life.

 

Collectivism is about being together, being loyal to your group/city/country and care about its’ grow, not caring about ones’ interests. 

 

In individualism society people are moved by their own desires, needs and rights, it is oriented towards personal goals.  Children in such societies are brought up  to become independent, achievement-oriented. 

Collectivistic societies emphasize ones’ connectedness to other members of the group, to subordinate their interests with others peoples’ interests. There are a lot of rules and norms of behavior. Children are raised to cooperate rather than to compete with others. 

 

For example, an American mother wants to make her child from dependent to independent. Traditional Japanese mother sees it her task as a mother in opposite way. In Japan child is an independent creature, who mother has to socialize into becoming dependent on other members of the group. It appears in sleeping together for a first few years and high level of indulgence.

 

Description of the child. 

American mother told about  cognitive abilities of a child, she uses words like ‘intelligent’, ‘smart’, ‘imaginative’. She also frequently referenced to their independence and self-reliance (‘confident’, ‘able to play himself’, ‘defiant’).

 

 Kenyan mother paid most attention on the children’s obedience and helpfulness by using words like ‘respectful’, ‘honest’, ‘trustworthy’ and ‘good-hearted’.  

This knowledge will help us to be more effective working with people from different societies.

See; Good fit vs. poor fit:

Good fit: Child with poor emotional control is cared for by tolerant parents. 

Poor fit; when the same child has parents who are impatient and rigid disciplinants. 

Low socio economic groups are not only characterized by poverty but may also experience inadequate nutrition, lack of pre and postnatal facilities, poor mental and physical health, overcrowding, addictions problems, lack of educational opportunities and other physical and psychosocial factors that are less likely to occur among more advantaged groups.

 

There is a clear relationship with the risk factors experienced in early childhood and subsequent maladjustment: irrespective of the identity of the risk factors their sheer number can predict the severity of behavior problems in adolescence.