Table 2.

Behavioral Manifestations of Respeto

Obedience/conformity to authority
Obey parents no matter what	“If he doesn’t obey or did something wrong, then that is a lack of respect.”
Accept parental authority without questioning it	“You are very fresh. You cannot be disrespectful to your elders. I have told you, one hundred times I have told you, that when an elder tells you to go home, or tells you that your behavior is wrong, you pay attention and stay quiet and don’t make an ugly face because you are not big. Remember your place because you are a child and children have to respect adults.”
Look parent in the eye during commands	“When a child and a parent are talking, we must look each other in the eye.”
Stay quiet when reprimanded/disciplined	“My mother, if she reprimands me, I don’t answer. I stay quiet.” “My son, when he misbehaves to a certain point, I tell him, ‘Go to your room,’ [He responds] ‘But mommy, let me say something’ and I say, ‘No, you will go right now.’”
Never talk back	“In regards to the children … some of us raise them like: ‘You don’t talk. You don’t respond.’”
Deference
Never listen in on/participate in adult conversations	“So I would say to him, ‘Well, and you, who invited you into this discussion? That looks bad. That reflects poorly on you. It is bad manners to get involved in adult conversations.”
Never express disagreement with adults	“Sometimes [my] mom says something that I disagree with, and sometimes I’ll even wink my eye, and I say, ‘Well, ok.’ Even though I disagree, to not be contrary, to not raise my voice, to not … do you understand?”
Never interrupt adults	“They [children] should not sit down and say, ‘Excuse me, mom, I need to talk to you.’ Because one is discussing adult matters that they are not supposed to listen to.”
Offer seat to elders
Wait until all adults have a seat before sitting down	(Describing falta de respeto) “Nowadays, they [children] say hello and they sit down before you [the adult].”
Offer to help elders	“If my mother [child’s grandmother] needs something, that they [children] get it for her. They need to help her. They should not let her go get it.”
Defer to adult wishes	“If my child says, ‘Oh, I want to sleep with grandmother,’ No, quiet! She is the one who knows. If she is not feeling well, if she is sick or uncomfortable, you have to respect. And [I tell my] mother, ‘if he comes to you anyway, you get the belt and whip him two times.’”
Decorum
Avoid bad words	“ … that the child not say bad words.”
Avoid rude tone of voice	“He comes and talks to me with an ugly tone, or to his grandparents, or his father, that is disrespect.”
Say please, thank you, etc.	“When his brother is playing with something and he comes and takes it. That is disrespectful. He needs to ask, ‘Can I play with you?’”
Greet adults politely (e.g., pedir la bendición)	“When you go out and someone greets you. Out of respect, you need to greet them.” “If an elder arrives at the house, you must greet them.”
Address elders formally (e.g., usted, Don/Doña rather than tu)
Public behavior
When visiting someone’s home, never touch anything without permission	“You need to ask permission to touch things … when we go out, don’t touch.” “To not respect things that belong to others. To me, that is disrespectful.”
Stay calm and quiet in public situations (e.g., visiting someone’s home)	(Referring to common saying) “Se ve mas bonito calladito./Quiet behavior looks nicer.” “For example, if one takes them somewhere … for example, this meeting that I took my son to; he knows that he has to be respectful with the people there. Behave well. Stay calm.”
Never run around noisily in nonsanctioned situations	“Stay seated. Not go around jumping all over the place.”