The relationship between parenting style and epistemological beliefs

Abstract

This study explored parenting styles and epistemological beliefs. The purpose was to determine if one’s epistemological beliefs are associated with the parenting style one experiences as a child. Parenting styles were classified as authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful. Epistemological beliefs were classified as certain knowledge, simple knowledge, omniscient authority, quick learning, and innate ability. An ancillary analysis revealed epistemological beliefs and vocabulary knowledge were related to GPA. Sixty-four mostly 17 and 18 year-old students from a medium sized high school in the Midwest completed the Epistemic Beliefs Inventory, a parenting style measure, and a vocabulary measure. Significant differences between parenting styles were found for quick learning, certain knowledge, and omniscient authority. This suggests that the parenting style parents use may impact the formation of the child’s epistemological beliefs. A significant interaction effect was found between vocabulary and quick learning for GPA. This suggests that sophisticated beliefs in quick learning may help a student overcome their low vocabulary knowledge and earn a high GPA.