The ‘Good Mother’

This paper is based on a comparative, psychologically informed ethnographic study of maternal goals and infant care during the first year of life for 20 mothers and infants in each of three Western settings: Stockholm, Sweden, outside Rome, Italy, and suburban Boston, in the United States. Two research questions were posed to consider cultural ideas and ideals about mothering; How was the ‘good mother’ defined? How did sample women themselves, mother? Research hypotheses were that definitions of a good mother would be culture‐specific with minimal within‐culture variance. Furthermore, the frequency of maternal behaviors would also exhibit culture specific patterns. Research methods included event based behavioral observations of infant‐caregiver interactions in the home, daily routine questionnaires, maternal attitude interviews, and ethnographic observations of community and family life. Research hypothesis were confirmed. Results revealed culture‐specific variation in conceptions of the ‘good mother’. Cultural differences were reflected in the short‐ and long‐term goals which the sample women described for their children. Patterns of infant care, in turn, were consistent with the cultural values expressed, as well as the cultural norms of social interaction.