AbstractsPsychology

Moral responsibilities between parent and children though lifespan

by Ying Li




Institution: University of Texas – Austin
Department: Educational Psychology
Degree: MEd
Year: 2012
Keywords: Moral responsibility; Only children; Parent-child relationship; Chinese family function
Record ID: 1942909
Full text PDF: http://hdl.handle.net/2152/ETD-UT-2011-12-4655


Abstract

The Chinese parent-child relationship is remarkably close throughout the lifespan. Parents get involved in planning their child’s career, social activities, and even marriage. For their point, when adult children attain financial stabilities, they support aging parents in various ways. This report reviews this strong bond as a moral responsibility between parents and children that parents sacrifice for their children unconditionally. In return, children pay back their moral debts to parents by fulfilling filial piety, including doing well in school, respecting family members and supporting parents. However, the traditional parent-child relationship may have changed after the one-child policy due to the shift in family structure, and new roles of only children in the family. Thus, moral responsibilities continue to capture the attention of experts interested in family structure in general and Chinese society in past.