How do cultural and child rearing practices influence a child's development of self?

Answer 1

There are really a lot of ways to look at it. From the child-rearing side, one can turn to Freud. Freud heavily believed that the way a child was reared affected the personality of the child as an adult, as well as their relationships within the family. If a child was breastfed until a late age, they would probably be more inclined to be closer to their mother, while a child that was weaned off while very young would probably have a less intimate connection.

Culturally, it would most likely have a lot to do with a few key factors: 1) Equality. If sexual inequalities, for example, exist in the culture that the child is raised in, their personality and interactions will change towards others. They may be less inclined to associate with others, be more stubborn, or potentially even more violent, if raised in certain circumstances. 2) Religion. Although debatable, I believe that the religion present in your environment will affect your personality, as children are very influential. Religions have commandments of sorts, that aim to help develop the child into a respectable member of their society. As such, religion can affect generosity, caring, principles, and much more.

However, the question is really hard to answer, due to the fact that it relates to the nature vs nurture argument. This question really only applies if you support the "tabula rasa" argument.