Final answer:
Parenting styles, such as authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved, can vary across cultures reflecting different cultural values. While authoritative parenting is preferred in American culture, other cultures may benefit from different styles like authoritarian, showing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the textbook, the correct answer is c) Parenting styles can vary across cultures based on cultural values. This assertion is supported by the work of Diana Baumrind, who identified four distinct parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved.
While the authoritative style, characterized by reasonable demands, consistent limits, and warmth, is encouraged in American society, this is not necessarily the case in all cultures. For example, some cultures may favor the authoritarian style, emphasizing obedience and conformity; despite its strictness, in certain ethnic groups, this style can lead to outcomes as successful as those from authoritative parenting.
Cultural influences extend to the socialization of children into class systems, gender roles, and race perceptions, demonstrating that parenting practices can be deeply intertwined with cultural norms and socioeconomic factors. Additionally, children's temperaments may also shape their parents' approach to raising them, with easygoing children potentially eliciting warmer parenting behaviors compared to those who are more challenging.