Childhood Flashcards
What do sociologists argue about childhood?
That it is socially constructed- it differs between time and place and cultured. We can see this by comparing western idea of childhood with the past and other societies.
What does Jane pilcher note about childhood?
The most important feature of the modern idea of childhood is separateness. Childhood is seen as a clear and distinctive life stage.
How are children seen in western cultures compared to other cultures.
Children are seen as vulnerable and defenceless in western cultures, whereas other cultures do not necessarily see such a great difference between children and adults
What does Ruth Benedict argue about children?
That children in simpler, non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from their modern western counterparts in three ways.
What three ways are are children tested differently from. Modern western counterparts?
Take responsibility at an early age
Less value placed on children showing obedience to adult authority
Children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently
What did Samatha Punch study?
Children in rural Bolivia- once children are 5 they are expected to take on work responsibilities in the home and the community
What did Firth find?
That among the Tikopia of the western pacific, doing as you told by a grown up so regarded as a concession to be granted by the child, not a right to be expected as an adult
WHAG did Malinowski find?
That among the Trobriand islanders of the south west pacific found that adults took an attitude of tolerance and amused interest towards children’s sexual exploitations and activities
What did Aries find?
That works of art from the Middle Ages show that these children’s appear with no characteristics of childhood- they have been depicted on a smaller scale. Children shown all wearing the same things.
What does Shorter argue?
High death rates encouraged indifference and neglect, especially towards infants. It was common to give a new born baby the name of a recently dead sibling.
What does Aries argue?
We have. Move form a world that did not see childhood as in any way special to a world that is obsessed with childhood.
Who criticised Aries?
Pollock got arguing that childhood did not exist, arguing it is more correct to say that in the Middle Ages society simply had a different notion of childhood from today’s.
What do Aries and Shorter believe?
They children are not tested much better than they have in the past
What did Sue Palmer talk about?
Toxic Children- argues technological and cultural changes in the past 25 years have damaged children’s physical, emotional, intellectual and social development.
What did Margo and Dixon find?
That UK youth are at it near the top of the international league for obesity, self-harm, drug and alcohol abuse.
What is Gittens age patriarchy?
The inequalities between adults and children.
What did Humphreys and Thiara find?
That a quarter of 200 women in their study left their abusing partner because they feared for their children’s life.
How do Hockey and James argue that children ‘act up’ their age?
They act like adults by doing things that children are not supposed to do e.g., swearing, smoking, drinking alcohol, and having under-sage sexual activity. They also exaggerate their age.
What do critics of child liberationists argue?
That some control is justified on the grounds that children cannot make rational decisions so are unable to safeguard themselves.
What does Postman talk about?
The disappearance of childhood - he argues that childhood is disappearing as children are gaining the same rights as adult, dressing the same way and even committing adult crimes
What was childhood like in the middle ages?
Most people were illiterate, speech was the only skill needed. Children were able to enter adult society from an early age. Childhood was not associated with innocence. There was no division between the world of an adult and children.
What was childhood like in the 19th century?
It emerged as a separate status along with literacy- it became a sharp division between adults who could read and children who couldn’t. Childhood became associated with ignorance and innocence.
How does TV blur the distinction between childhood and adulthood?
By destroying the information hierarchy. It breaks down the boundary between adults and children. Adult authority is diminished and the ignorance of childhood is replaced with knowledge. and cynicism. The disappearance of childhood and adulthood as separate age categories has occurred.
Why does Iona Opie argue childhood is not disappearing?
There is strong evidence of a continued existence of a separate children’s culture. Games, rhymes and songs exist that are associated with childhood.
