Childhood - Historical Changes

Question 1

What didn’t exist according to Ariès in pre-industrial European society?

Answer 1

Childhood

Question 2

What did Ariès conclude from his analysis of secondary data from pre-industrial European society?

Answer 2

Concluded that children were treated no differently from adults as they were made to work from age 7-8

Question 3

What were children seen as in pre-industrial society?

Answer 3

Economic assets

Question 4

What were 7-8 year olds seen as by the eyes of the law in pre-industrial society?

Answer 4

Criminally responsible

Question 5

Why weren’t children treated with love and affection by their parents in pre-industrial society according to Ariès? (Two factors)

Answer 5

High level of IMR
Financial reasons

Question 6

What process in industrial society influenced the social construction of childhood according to Ariès?

Answer 6

Industrialisation

Question 7

By the 19th century, what had resulted in the emergence of childhood?

Answer 7

Laws and social changes

Question 8

What laws were put in place to children by the 19th century?

Answer 8

Laws to ban children from working in factories and mines

Question 9

What did the Elementary Education Act 1870 provide children with?

Answer 9

Education up to age 10

Question 10

What did government laws do in industrial society to cut down on child prostitution?

Answer 10

Raised age of sexual consent to 16

Question 11

Why did IMR decline in industrial society?

Answer 11

Improvements in health, sanitation and diet

Question 12

How were children seen in industrial society due to changes in laws and social factors?

Answer 12

Seen as objects of love and devotion

Question 13

Why did some w/c children ignore the laws that banned them from working in mines and factors in industrial society?

Answer 13

To provide for their families

Question 14

What two dominant images of childhood emerged in the 19th century according to Rogers?

Answer 14

Innocent child
Sinful child

Question 15

Innocent child

Answer 15

Something wholesome and precious about childhood so children should be prodcfed from adult world

Question 16

Sinful child

Answer 16

Assumes children are selfish and uncontrollablen

Question 17

What has British society become in modern society?

Answer 17

More child-centred

Question 18

What does a more child-centred society mean for children?

Answer 18

Means welfare of children has become very important resulting in large amounts of time, effort and money going into them

Question 19

What are children seen as in a child-centred society?

Answer 19

Naive, vulnerable and in need of protection

Question 20

What is invested into children to prepare them for adulthood in modern society?

Answer 20

Leave amounts on money and time invested academically, socially and physically

Question 21

What developed under industrialisation?

Answer 21

Formal schooling

Question 22

Impact of decline in IMR on childhood

Answer 22

Parents having less children meaning more financial and emotional investment goes towards them

Question 23

Why did advances in specialist knowledge about children change the position of children in the 19th and 20th centuries?

Answer 23

Because it meant that importance of early years developed

Question 24

What laws changed the position of children in 19th and 20th centuries?

Answer 24

Laws that banned child labour

Question 25

How did contraception change the position of children in 19th and 20th centuries?

Answer 25

Contraception meant that families could have fewer children, resulting in more time and care going into their children

Question 26

Two acts that have given children greater protection?

Answer 26

Children Act
Child Support Act

Question 27

Why is the distinction between adults and children disappearing according to Postman?

Answer 27

Because children in contemporary society are becoming more exposed to a range of experiences that they share with adults

Question 28

What has parental authority been undermined by in contemporary society according to Cunningham?

Answer 28

Children having money

Question 29

What has resulted in children being more up to data than their parents?

Answer 29

The rapid pact of technological and social change

Question 30

What shows the sexualisation of childhood according to Margo?

Answer 30

1950s - average age of first sexual intercourse was 20 for men and 21 for women
1990s - average age was 16 for both

Question 31

What does Palmer believe some children in the UK are facing today?

Answer 31

‘Toxic childhood’

Question 32

Impact of rapid technological and cultural chances in past 25 years according to Palmer

Answer 32

Damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development

Question 33

Examples of technological and cultural changes

Answer 33

Junk food
Computer games
Intensive marketing at children
Long hours worked by parents
Growing emphasis on testing children

Question 34

What do UK youths have above averages rates in international League Tables in?

Answer 34

Obesity
Self harm
Drug/alcohol use
Violence
Early sexual experience
Teenage pregnancies

Question 35

What positive view do some sociologists have about the development of childhood over time?

Answer 35

A ‘March of progress’ view

Question 36

Why do ‘March of progress’ sociologists believe childhood has improved over time?

Answer 36

Children’s welfare has improved
IMR has declined
Smaller family sizes
Laws

Question 37

What theorists p argue that the ‘March of progress’ view is idealised?

Answer 37

Conflict theorists (Feminists and Marxists)