Comparative and Individual Perspectives on Mother-Infant Interactions with People and Objects among South Koreans, Korean Americans, and European Americans

Comparative and individual acculturation of mother and infant person-directed and object-directed behaviors and interactions were investigated among 183 South Korean, Korean American, and European American mothers and their 51/2-month-old infants. We analyzed and compared mean levels in mothers' and infants' person- and object-directed behaviors and partner responsiveness and initiation of these behaviors in dyads in the three cultural groups. Among Korean American dyads, we also analyzed individual-level variation in the acculturation of these behaviors and interactions. This study reveals how contrasting South Korean and European American cultural values are embedded and manifested in early mother-infant interactions and how cultural values from South Korean origin and European American destination cultures are interwoven in Korean American mother-infant interactions.