Childhood Flashcards
Psychological theory of childhood
Piaget-theory of cognitive development
- development of childhood is natural and universal
- all kids go through same order at same age
- ages and stages approach: master the skills at one stage to move onto the next
- developmental stage
- ‘normal children go through stages at right times’
traditional childhood theory (built upon psychological theory)
Parsons socialisation theory
- when first born, child creates ripples in family, then later impacts other institutions e.g. education
- biologically human but not yet socially/culturally
- socialisation is the key tool that transforms the egocentric child into a culturally mature adult
- it is adult who socialise the child over time
- ‘proper and inproper’ socialisation reflects Piaget’s theory (stages to go through)
- adulthood is the finished idea
similarities between the psychological and traditional childhood models (Piaget and Parsons)
- ‘beomings not beings’
- children are close to nature in their biological state-incomplete bodies
- powerless, passive, uncivilised, dependent
- universal biological/physiological state (HIGHLY CRITICISED)
- only seen as important in their progression to adulthood
who talks about the new sociology of childhood?
james and prout (1990)
the 5 features of the new sociology of childhood:
- childhood is a social construction upon the biological framework
- childhood is diverse (gender, class etc)
- childhood important as beings, not just becomings
- children are social actors with agency, voice and impact
- minority groups in the generational structure
how do james and prout think chilkdhood studies should occur?
research should be done with and for them, not on and about them
who talks about centuries of the childhood?
Aries
what did aries use as evidence for his claims about childhood?
artwork from medieval society and the diary of Louis VIII
aries view on medieval childhood
- it didn’t exist
- children started work age 5
- in artwork, wear same clothes and play same games as adults
- high rates of infant mortality meant parents didn’t get too attached (may withhold naming child until aged 1/2)
according to aries when did childhood become ‘invented’?
16/17th century
why was there the invention of childhood? (Aries)
christianity saw children as fragile beings and creatures of God =privatisation of family life and growth of formal education
criticism of Aries view of childhood
- saw it as a fixed social category
- only used the diary of a rich king-what about the majority who lived in poverty?
- Archard-a dissimilarity in ideas about childhood, not an absence
who did Heywood disagree with and why?
Aries-because saw distinctions between childhood and adulthood through medieval law.
who agreed with Heywood and why?
Cunningham-saw key event of compulsory education doing more to transform childhood than any other event in past 5 centuries
advantages of Aries childhood theory
- showed it was a social construction
- set it up as a serious topic worth discussing
Hendrick 9 constructions of childhood
e.g. 5 schooled child, 8 is psychological child.
aims to illustrate historical variability and show perceptions can be understood in context of how different cohorts responded to the social, political and economic challenges of their respective era
legislation and emergence of modern childhood is associated with which thinker?
Ennew-modern forms of childhood have 2 aspects
1) characterised by ridged age hierarchy-keeps them in quarantine period
2) golden age-characterised by innocence and happiness
who else talks about medieval childhood? what did she say?
Hanawait-childhood in medieval London
looked at children’s play (death from tools common at aged 8) and their participation in community life (active participants but also an audience=leisure time)
evidence of concern about childhood
- Bryon review (2010) children in a digital world
- Bailey review (2001) examining pressures children are under to grow up too quickly
- HM government childhood obesity plan
- UNICEF child well-being rankings
- campaign groups e.g. Save the Children
who talks about the disappearance of childhood?
Postman
what is Postman’s argument?
-childhood is disappearing
-children now commit ‘adult crimes’ e.g. murder
-trends towards similar child and adult clothing, games
-blames electronic media
1) requires no instructions
2) doesn’t make complex demands on behaviour
3) doesn’t segregate its audience
stops withholding secrets…without secrets can be no such thing as childhood
tv eliminates exclusive knowlege-quarantine period is broken down
criticisms of Postman
- children’s culture appears resilient (Opius studies of playground games)
- only focuses on western notions of childhood (Boydon)
- social construction subject to change
who talks about the crisis being mobilised as a ‘moral resource’ to control children’s lives? what did he mean?
Wyness
- childhood as separateness creates a moral panic
- ‘real children’ can be like adults, but societies dominant ideals disallow for opportunities for them to show this
- we want to get rid of childhood as it is limiting these young people
what are the childhood liberationist stance?
-it is bad that childhood isn’t disappearing
