Children's fears are explored in cultural context by comparing two major cultural groups in the south-western United States: the Hispanic-American and the Anglo-American. Fear was conceptualized as a broad topic with varying meanings among cultural groups. To sample the existence of fears in the fullness of cultural context, five aspects of fear were studied.

Three aspects of fear: normative fears, normative fear management, and fear themes, were explored ethnographically. Interviews of adults, retrospective about childhood fears, were tape recorded. Informants of varying ages with knowledge of cultural ways and an interest in and willingness to explore the topic were selected. Participant observation provided information on people who were not easily accessible for extended interviews. Analysis of fear anedotes from the fieldwork resulted in a categorization scheme for cultural comparisons. based on the anecdotal data, a broad description of the meanings and ways of fear within each cultural group was derived.

Two other aspects of fear: specific fears and fear responses, were studied through children's responses on multiple choice surveys. Survey Schedules from earlier studies on children's fears were modified, in conjunction with the fieldwork, to incorporate fears of cultural significance. A sample of 365 children in the fifth and sixth grades completed the Fear Survey Schedule-II-Modified CC and the Fear Survey Schedule: Response Style CC. Quantitative analyses showed cultural differences and similarities.

Findings from the qualitative and quantitative analyses were linked to achieve a coherent view of the fear-related material. The nature of fear and danger and the structure of responsibility for fear and danger in children in each cultural group were derived. It was concluded that many aspects of fear were identifiable in children, that fear in children was tied into cultural groups in complex ways, and that each cultural group had its own identifiable picture of fear and danger for children. The similarities between the two cultural groups were evaluated for generalizability in part through comparison with survey results of Asian-American children in the same locality.