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Kids and kin: children's understanding of American kin terms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

James C. Chambers Jr  and
Nicholas Tavuchis
James C. Chambers Jr
Affiliation:
Cornell University
Nicholas Tavuchis
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
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Abstract

This study seeks to explore the defining characteristics of first and third grade children (mean ages 7;0 and 9;1 respectively) in conceptualizing seventeen American kin terms. The data indicate that even when children were able to identify a relationship, they did not all base their identification on the same attributes. Familiarity and experience affected the identification of some terms but did not appear to influence the ability to handle relational aspects. Among Grade 1 children, girls were more proficient than boys. This difference disappeared by Grade 3 where both boys and girls were equally competent and significantly more proficient than the younger children. Finally, in both grades, nuclear family terms were more familiar than extended family terms.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , February 1976 , pp. 63 - 80
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

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