Childhood Flashcards
term: Childhood
an innocent period in individuals early life, socially constructed as can vary in other cultures
term: biological determinism
most human characteristics- physical & mental are determined at conception by hereditary factors passed from parents
term: social construction
human characteristics made by societu grow up in, peoples behaviours moulded by surroundings
4 reasons for development of childhood:
- compulsory education
- child labour laws
- decrease in infant mortality rate
- Children Protection & Welfare Legislation
how has children laws developed childhood?
no longer economic asset but economic liability
Children Protection and Welfare Legislation
1989 Children’s Act- welfare of children is fundamental
UN Conventions on Rights of Children- basic rights
culture + history
what are the behaviours and attitudes towards childhood?
aren’t the same everywhere(cross culture) in the world and hasn’t been for all times(historically). not universal
industrialisation impact on childhood
- modern industry needs on educated workforce: requires compulsory schooling
- higher standards of living & better welfare provision: lower IMR
- agriculture to factory production
term: information hierarchy
when children kept out of loop as wasn’t able to access info
conventional approach to childhood
children vunerable & need protection, can’t fend for themselves, adults must make decisions to ensure children cared for
social class differences in childhood
- poor mothers more likely low birth weight babies
- children of unskilled manual workers 3x more likely experience conduct disorders
- child in poor fam likely suffer longstanding illness, fall behind school
ethnicity differences in childhood
- not all children share same status/ experiences
- children from diff nationalities likely experience diff childhoods and chances
- 90% worlds low weight babies born in developing countires
gender differences in childhood- Hillman 1993 & Bonke 1999
- Hillman: boys more likely allowed to cross roads, use buses, go out after dark
- Bonke: girls more domestic labour especially in lone parent fans where do 5x more housework than boys
ethnicity and gender differences in childhood- Brannen 1994 & Bhatti 1999
- Brannen: study if 15-16yr olds found Asian parents stricter towards daughters
- Bhatti: found ideas of Izzat (family honor) could be restriction particularly on behav of girls
Historical Evidence of childhood as social construct: Aries
- looked at paintings
- in middle ages childhood didn’t exist, children as mini adults
- 1700-1800 economic asset
- 1800-1900 economic role marginalised
- 1900-1950 economically worthless
- 1950+ active role in fam