Childhood LT1

Question 0

What did Aries conclude about childhood in the 10th - 13th century?

Answer 0

That childhood didn’t exist.
• Same laws and punishments applied to children and adults.
• Attire was the same for children and adults as they’d dress the same.
• Toys and games specifically for children did not exist.

Question 1

What is a social construction?

Answer 1

Something which is created, nurtured and maintained by a particular society. These are things that cannot be biologically explained or defined. This therefore means that it differs throughout time, place and cultures across the world.

Question 2

Name 3 cross cultural difference in childhood.

Answer 2

• 3 year olds are cast out to fend for themselves in Northern Uganda.
• Children take responsibility from an early age in rural Bolivia.
• Less value is placed on being obedient amongst the Tikopia (Western Pacific)

Question 3

Name 3 legal changes that have led to improvements in childhood.

Answer 3

• Child labour laws exclude children from paid work.
• Minimum age laws e.g sex and smoking reinforce the idea that childhood is separate from adulthood.
• Compulsory school leaving age (creates an extended period of economic dependency)

Question 4

What effect has lower infant mortality rates had on childhood?

Answer 4

Lower infant mortality rates have led to smaller families therefore parents are more willing to make financial and emotional investments in the fewer children they have.

Question 5

What do the conflict view believe?

Answer 5

Inequalities mean that the position/status of children have not improved for all children.

Question 6

What evidence does the March of progress View have that the status of children has improved?

Answer 6

• Children no longer have to work and are better educated.
• Society is more child-centred.
• Media and leisure activities cater for the needs of children e.g. children’s TV

Question 7

Who argues that class differences between children means that there are inequalities between children?

Answer 7

Marxists.

• They argue that working class children suffer more long term illness (e.g. due to poor diet) and do less well at school that Middle class children.
• International differences mean that children in Third World countries experience poverty and can become child soldiers and prostitutes.

Question 8

What do feminists believe in terms of the position/status of children?

Answer 8

Feminists believe that the position/status of all children hasn’t improved because girl’s do more housework than boys and Asian parents are more likely to be strict with their daughters that their sons.

Question 9

Who argued that inequalities between children and adults show that the position/status of children hasn’t improved?

Answer 9

Firestone (1979) a Liberationist claimed that adults used their power to dominate and control children (age patriarchy)

Question 10

How else are there inequalities between adults and children?

Answer 10

• Adults can place restrictions on the space movement of children (whereas in Sudan children are free to “roam”)
• Adults control time and daily routines of children, and can control the speed at which children ‘grow up’. (whereas in Samoa a child is never too young to do “adult” tasks)
• Adults can neglect and abuse children (the dark side of family) e.g. physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

Question 11

What is the argument in favour of there being inequalities between children and adults?

Answer 11

Adult intervention and control can be necessary and can benefit children e.g. Adult laws against child abuse safeguard children.

Question 12

Which sociologists argue that childhood is disappearing?

Answer 12

Postman (1994) and Palmer (2006)

Question 13

What are Postman’s reasons for believing that childhood is disappearing?

Answer 13

Postman (1994) believed that childhood is shortening and children are growing up too quickly.
Technology and the media has “eroded” the boundary between childhood and adulthood. Children can now access adult knowledge and can easily view sex, death and suffering.

Question 14

What evidence is there that childhood is disappearing?

Answer 14

• disappearance of unsupervised children games.
• growing similarity between adult and children clothing.
• children are commiting “adult crimes” e.g. gun and knife crime.

Question 15

Who introduced the idea of “toxic childhood”

Answer 15

Palmer (2006) argued that children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development is damaged because of junk food, powerful media, over testing in schools and long working hours of parents.

Question 16

What is the argument against childhood disappearing?

Answer 16

Not all children are affected by the supposed disappearance of childhood, and those who are affected are usually children of lower social classes and poorer social groups.

Question 17

Who argues that childhood is not disappearing but is infact improving?

Answer 17

• Opie (1993) argues that children still have a separate experience from adults.
• Liberationists argue that the western notion of childhood is being globalised and spreading throughout the world.
• International agencies campaign for a separate childhood where children can be viewed as innocent and in need of protection without an economic role.

Question 18

What is child centredness?

Answer 18

Children are valued, loved and protected and family life revolves around children and children have more of a say in their family e.g where they go on holiday, where they eat.

Question 19

What is the western notion of childhood?

Answer 19

The believe in western societies that childhood is separate from adulthood where children are vulnerable, naive and in need of protection. e.g. laws that exclude them from paid work.

Question 20

Which period in history do many believe led to the improvement of childhood?

Answer 20

Industrialisation- a period in times where they was a shift from agricultural economy to one based on factory production.