Missionary Family Behavior, Dissonance, and Children's Career Decision

Abstract

A total of 78 subjects born of missionary parents were divided into the “Going” group, consisting of those who planned a career as foreign missionaries, and the “Not-Going” group, made up by those who did not plan such a future. A brief inventory designed for the present study was administered. The results showed that the “Going” subjects perceived the family behavior as consistent with the stereotype “ideals” of what the missionaries should be and should do. The “Not-Going” subjects reported that their fathers seldomly mentioned the missionary activities at home, their families were not close enough to the native community and Christians, et cetera. Both groups had high regard for the missionary career and calling. The difference in their decision was interpreted as a means of reducing the dissonant relation between the “ideals” and “practices.” In order to reduce the dissonance, the present subjects “avoid” the dissonant situation all together.

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