Worldwide Tests of Parental Acceptance-Rejection Theory: An Overview

Abstract

Parental acceptance-rejection theory (PART) is a theory of socialization which attempts to predict major psychological, environmental, and main tenance systems conditions under which parents the world over are likely to accept or reject their children. It attempts as well to predict significant consequences of parental acceptance-rejection, both for behavioral devel opment and for selected institutionalized expressive features of society. Drawing on the phylogenetic model within the theory we try to identify significant personal and situational factors associated with the ability of some rejected children to cope more effectively than others with parental hostility/aggression, indifference/neglect, or undifferentiated rejection. Holo cultural data and social psychological and developmental data within the U.S. and other nations provide support for the postulates of PART so far tested.