Field Dependence and Conformity of Rural Mexican and Urban Anglo-American Children

KAGAN, SPENCER. Field Dependence and Conformity of Rural Mexican and Urban AngloAmerican Children. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1974, 45, 765-771. A number of theoretical works support the hypothesis that rural Mexican children are more passive and compliant than urban Anglo-American children. Based on that hypothesis it was predicted that rural Mexican children would be more field dependent and conforming in situations traditionally used to measure those variables. Experiment 1 found rural Mexican children erred from the true upright by almost twice as many degrees as urban Anglo-American children in a portable rod-and-frame-type task. Experiment 2 found rural Mexican children were more conforming and more often expressed belief in their misleading peers than did urban Anglo-American children. Results were related to cultural differences in press sensitivity, need for achievement, and child-rearing practices.