Socialization and Achievement Motivation in Brazil

This study examined the relationship of family structure to socialization and achievement motivation in Brazil. A Thematic Apperception Test was used to measure achievement motivation in boys; observation, interviews and questionnaires were employed to obtain data on family structure, child-rearing practices and the boy's perception of his parents. The Brazilian data were compared with those obtained from a criterion group of American boys and their mothers, matched by age and social class. The data revealed that Brazilian mothers were less likely to train their sons in self-reliance, autonomy, and achievement than were American mothers. This de-emphasis on independence and achievement was associated with a common type of family structure in Brazil--the authoritarian, father-dominated family. The indulgence, over-protectiveness, and authoritarianism which boys experience in this type of family were regarded as significant factors responsible for the markedly low achievement motivation among Brazilian boys.