A reinterpretation of the direction of effects in studies of socialization.

Studies are summarized indicating that the basic model of socialization, the action of a parent on a child, is too limited to accommodate data emerging from recent studies of human and animal Ss. A set of propositions is presented concerning the effects of congenital factors in children on parent behavior. This system is applied to current findings in several major areas. Current literature on socialization, based largely on correlations between parent and child behavior, can be reinterpreted plausibly as indicating effects of children on parents. A correlation does not indicate direction of effect. The effect of children on parents can no longer be dismissed as only a logical but implausible alternative explanation of a correlation.