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environments and mothering  

Definition

  • The relationships between environments and mothering practices are quite variable and complex. A survey of the anthropological and sociological studies that focus on mothering (or caregiving, since mothering may be performed by females other than the child's biological mother, as well as males) quickly reveals that practices around the world are diverse and are very much influenced by geographical, sociohistorical, and economic environments.Most of the discourse that focuses on the relationships between motherhood (caregiving) and the environment can be grouped into two major categories: first, the historical/sociocultural studies that include analyses of environmental variations in mothering practices and their subsequent effects on the socialization of children; and second, the impact of economic environments upon mothering practices.Sociocultural Environments and HistoryOne of the major debates surrounding the relationship between mothering and sociocultural environments has centered upon how much of mothering behaviors (or lack thereof) can be attributed to biological as opposed to social influences (the so-called “maternal instinct”). [Source: Encyclopedia of Motherhood; Environments and Mothering]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/environments_and_mothering

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