Dr Julita Hernández

Full time Tenure Professor, Academic Division of Arts and Education,
Juárez Autonomous University of Mexico, Tabasco, Mexico

A Cross Cultural Longitudinal Study of the Relationship Between
Mothers' Cultural Values and Creativity in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

The cultural values of Mexican and Mexican American mothers, the divergent thinking of their children and the relationship between these two variables at two points in time were investigated in this study. The subjects were thirty seven Mexican mothers, thirty one Mexican American mothers and their children. All of the subjects were interviewed twice, first when the children were 12 years old (phase 1) and second when they were 17 (phase 2). The Historic Socio Cultural Premises questionnaire was used to assess mothers, cultural values on the scales of Abnegation, Honor, Virginity, Authority and Traditionalism. The children's divergent thinking was measured by the Alternate Uses Test which gives scores on flexibility and fluency. It was hypothesized that mothers, modernism will be related with children,s divergent thinking scores, regardless of the passage of time and difference in culture. However, this hypothesis was only partially supported. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for intellectual development.

Bionote

I am a psychologist graduated from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. I got my Ph. D. in Educational Psychology in the University of Texas in Austin. Teaching at university level for 20 years. My areas of research are cultural values, gender studies and violence against women, in which I have won several research awards. Currently I am the president of the Tabasqueñan psychological association.

Presentation Type
30 min. paper

Presentation Equipment Requirements
Data Projector

Speaking Date/Time Restrictions

Country
Mexico