Childhood Flashcards
Summarise Aries Pre-Industrial ideas
- Idea of childhood didn’t exist – didn’t have different needs compared to adults
- Entered world on same terms as adult – work.
- ADULTS IN MINIATURE – same rights, duties and skills as adults.
- Children faced same punishment as adults.
What did Aries paintings show?
Children appeared without any kiddie characteristics - portrayed same as adults, just smaller scale.
Summarise Aries Post-Industrial ideas:
- Elements of childhood emerged
- Schools specialised in young – not adults.
- Children reflected as ‘fragile creatures of god’ in the church
- Distinction between clothing – only for U/C
- More handbooks on childbearing
- BECAME MORE CHILD-CENTRED
How does Pollock criticise Aries?
Said it was more accurate to say in Middle Ages, society had different notion of childhood from today.
What were Pilcher’s views on childhood?
It was seen as a clear, distinct life stage with a different status to adults.
Childhood is a GOLDEN AGE OF HAPPINESS AND INNOCENCE - need protecting from dangers of adult world
What did Pilcher say was the most important feature of childhood?
Separateness
What did Pilcher say childhood is not?
Not universal - some societies do not view childhood as separate from adulthood.
Summarise Wagg’s views on childhood:
- Childhood is socially constructed – no single childhood that’s experienced by all.
- All humans go through same stages of physical development, but cultures define childhood differently
- Western cultures = children are vulnerable and unable to fend for themselves.
Who said society is socially constructed?
Wagg
What did Benedict argue about childhood?
Children in simpler, non-industrial societies are treated differently to Western people.
Summarise Benedict’s 3 way’s children are treated differently:
- TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FROM EARLY AGE - Samoan village found “too young” was not an excuse to not do a task.
- LESS VALUE ON OBIDIENCE TO ADULT AUTHORITY - doing as you are told by an adult is regarded as a concession to be granted by the child, not a right to be expected by adult.
- KIDS SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR VIEWED DIFFERENTLY - adults took attitude of ‘tolerance and amused interest’ in children’s sexual explorations.
What did Benedict say about non-industrial cultures?
Less of a dividing line between behaviour expected of children and that expected of adults.
Illustrates childhood is not a fixed, universal thing, but is socially constructed so differs in all societies.
Describe reasons why a child’s position in society has changed?
Laws restricting child labour and exclusion from paid work - children became economic liability.
Introduction of compulsory education 1880 extended period of dependency.
Decrease in family size and lower infant mortality rates encouraged parents to make greater financial investments into kids.
What is the Children’s Act?
Defines parents as having responsibilities rather than rights in relation to their children.
How has the process of industrialisation led to a change in kids position?
Modern society needs an educated workforce, which requires compulsory schooling of the young.
Higher standards of living and better welfare provision leads to lower mortality rates.
What does Postman say about Childhood?
It is disappearing at a dazzling speed.
Trends such as giving kids same rights as adults, disappearance of traditional kids games, similarities in clothing and increase in adult crime e.g. murder.
What is the information hierarchy?
A sharp divide between those who can read, such as adults, and those who cannot, such as kids.
How had the information hierarchy affected children when it was printed?
Allowed childhood to remain separate in 19th century - adults had power to keep knowledge about sex, drugs, violence etc, secret from kids.
How was the introduction of digital media affected the information hierarchy?
TV does not require specialist skills to use so information is accessible to everyone - diminishes innocence of kids.
Give a criticism of Postman:
over-emphasises effect of tv on childhood - does not consider other factors in detail.
Summarise Jenks view on childhood:
Does not believe it is disappearing, but it is changing.
Agrees with Aries that it is a creation of modern society - childhood seen as preparation to become productive adult.
Which society does Jenks study?
Modern into Postmodern
What does Jenks say about the change in childhood?
Relationships are unstable in postmodern society - eg divorce is more common.
Adults more fearful of child’s security so become obsessed with protecting them from dangers of world - kids are vunerable and need protecting.
How does Jenks disagree with Postman?
Childhood is not disappearing as people are to concerned with their safety.
