Parent Civic Behavior and Observed Civic Messages: Associations with Adolescent Civic Behavior and Prioritization

Abstract

The current study employed observational and multi-informant survey methodology to explore associations among parents\u27 civic behaviors, observed parent and adolescent messages about civic obligation, and adolescents\u27 civic behavior and prioritization (should) judgments. A sample of 160 adolescents (Mage = 14.42, range = 12-18) and their parents (144 mothers and 52 fathers), participated in video-recorded, structured, dyadic interaction tasks in which they discussed citizenship and civic duty. Parents and adolescents also completed questionnaires assessing civic behavior and civic prioritization judgments. Within distinct civic activities, parents\u27 report of civic behavior was positively associated with adolescents\u27 report of civic behavior and prioritization judgments. Over and above parents\u27 civic behavior, adolescents\u27 community service behavior was positively associated with parents\u27 observed messages about help and respect for others and one\u27s country but negatively associated with adolescents\u27 own observed messages about being productive members of society. Additionally, parents\u27 observed messages about the importance of following rules and regulations were negatively associated with their adolescents\u27 prioritization judgments concerning social movement involvement (e.g., protesting). Findings suggest that parents\u27 observed messages about citizenship and civic duty may promote and deter adolescents\u27 from engagement in specific civic activities