How Far Can You Go? Exploring Children's Mobility in Two Cultures
Recent literature indicates a decline in child independent mobility (CIM), the distance children can travel independently, in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) countries. Previous findings suggest a causal relationship between parental fear and children's mobility,...
| Other Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://digitalcollections.wesleyan.edu/islandora/how-far-can-you-go-exploring-childrens-mobility-two-cultures https://doi.org/10.14418/wes01.1.2905 |
| Summary: | Recent literature indicates a decline in child independent mobility (CIM), the distance children can travel independently, in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) countries. Previous findings suggest a causal relationship between parental fear and children's mobility, which can impact children's social-emotional well-being and spatial cognition. The current study examines this relationship in two cultures with differing norms regarding children's exploration: the Faroe Islands and the United States. Study 1 (n = 35) aimed to assess children's mobility in relation to psychosocial and parenting intensity measures. Results indicate a statistically significant correlation between children's high mobility and well-being and low overparenting. Parental tolerance of risky play was also significantly correlated with children's spatial ability. The results suggest the potential benefits of independent mobility on children's mental health and cognition. Study 2 (n = 24) used a novel approach to measure children's mobility through GPS and Experience Sampling Methodology. Self-reported mobility measures from Study 1 were significantly correlated with the GPS and ESM data, providing initial validation for this methodology. This research provides preliminary evidence for the benefits of mobility in a society with increasingly high rates of overparenting and limited opportunity for children to explore independently. |
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