Childhood

Question 1

term: Childhood

Answer 1

an innocent period in individuals early life, socially constructed as can vary in other cultures

Question 2

term: biological determinism

Answer 2

most human characteristics- physical & mental are determined at conception by hereditary factors passed from parents

Question 3

term: social construction

Answer 3

human characteristics made by societu grow up in, peoples behaviours moulded by surroundings

Question 4

4 reasons for development of childhood:

Answer 4

• compulsory education
• child labour laws
• decrease in infant mortality rate
• Children Protection & Welfare Legislation

Question 5

how has children laws developed childhood?

Answer 5

no longer economic asset but economic liability

Question 6

Children Protection and Welfare Legislation

Answer 6

1989 Children’s Act- welfare of children is fundamental
UN Conventions on Rights of Children- basic rights

Question 7

culture + history

what are the behaviours and attitudes towards childhood?

Answer 7

aren’t the same everywhere(cross culture) in the world and hasn’t been for all times(historically). not universal

Question 8

industrialisation impact on childhood

Answer 8

• modern industry needs on educated workforce: requires compulsory schooling
• higher standards of living & better welfare provision: lower IMR
• agriculture to factory production

Question 9

term: information hierarchy

Answer 9

when children kept out of loop as wasn’t able to access info

Question 10

conventional approach to childhood

Answer 10

children vunerable & need protection, can’t fend for themselves, adults must make decisions to ensure children cared for

Question 11

social class differences in childhood

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

ethnicity differences in childhood

Answer 12

• 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

Question 13

gender differences in childhood- Hillman 1993 & Bonke 1999

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

ethnicity and gender differences in childhood- Brannen 1994 & Bhatti 1999

Answer 14

• 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

Question 15

Historical Evidence of childhood as social construct: Aries

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

Historical Evidence of childhood as social construct: age of leaving education

Answer 16

compulsory education in 1880-5-10yrs
socially unacceptable & illegal to leave school and work full time ag 12

Question 17

Historical Evidence of childhood as social construct: age of marriage

Answer 17

minimum legal age for marriage in britain 16 at 1929, before girls married at 12 & boys at 14

Question 18

Historical Evidence of childhood as social construct: Jane Pitcher 1995

Answer 18

seperated was of childhood from other life phases
children have diff rights and duties from adults & r regulated & protected by laws

Question 19

Cross Cultural Evidence of childhood as social construct: Wagg 1992

Answer 19

construction of childhood varies across diff historical & cultural societies bf of cross cultural diffs children not always seen as vunerable

Question 20

Cross Cultural Evidence of childhood as social construct: Punch 2001

Answer 20

children growing up in countryside in Bolivia given responsibilities & work to perform at 5- contrasts western attitudes towards child labour

Question 21

Cross Cultural Evidence of childhood as social construct: Ruth Benedict

Answer 21

childhood diff in 3 ways
- responsibility at earlier age( Samoan village: children never too young to perform task)
- less value placed on children showing obedience to adults(Tikopia: doing as told not a ribjt to be expected by adult)
- children sexual behaviours often viewed differently(Trobriand Islanders: girls want sex as much as boys)

Question 22

Neil Postman

Answer 22

Disappearance of childhood due to information hierarchy where children now have access to things usually kept private from them due to media, television and being able to read

Question 23

Sue Palmer

Answer 23

Toxic Childhood- children spend more time in front of television and screens rather than spending time with family, declines in traditional upbringing

Question 24

Shorter 1975

Answer 24

society has functional need for better educated citizens + lower IMR= school leaving age increased

Question 25

conflict theories against childhood getting better

Answer 25

1. children now too controlled + too overprotected ‘paranoid parenting’
2. Postman
3. tech changes resulted in harm to children
4. inequalities between children- not equal progress

Question 26

Iona Opie 1993

Answer 26

• childhood not disappearing
• strong evidence of separate children’s culture like games, rhymes