Childhood - The Future of Childhood

Question 1

Which sociologist believes childhood is disappearing?

Answer 1

Postman

Question 2

Quote from Postman about the disappearance of childhood

Answer 2

Childhood is ‘disappearing at a dazzling speed’

Question 3

Why is childhood disappearing according to Postman? (4 reasons)

Answer 3

Children are being given the same results as adults
Children’s traditional disappearing games are disappearing
Growing similarity between children’s and adults clothing
Rising cases of children committing adult crimes such as murder

Question 4

What was the first emergence of childhood due to according to Postman?

Answer 4

The ride and fall of prompt culture

Question 5

What replaced print culture which led to the disappearance of childhood according to Postman?

Answer 5

TV culture

Question 6

Why was there no division between children and adults in the Middle Ages?

Answer 6

Because most people were illiterate and only had skill of speech so children were able to enter adult society from early age

Question 7

What created the information hierarchy from the 19th century according to Postman?

Answer 7

Printed word as only those who could read (mainly adults) could understand it

Question 8

Why does TV blur the distinction between childhood and adulthood?

Answer 8

Because specialist skills aren’t required to access it meaning any age group could view it

Question 9

What is the ignorance and innocence of childhood now replaced by?

Answer 9

Knowledge and cynicism

Question 10

Cynicism

Answer 10

Attitude constructed by distrust

Question 11

What does Opie argue as a result of research conducted into children’s unsupervised games, rhymes and songs? (Evaluation of Postman)

Answer 11

Argues that there is strong evidence of continued existence of a separate childhood culture

Question 12

What is a disadvantage of Postman saying TV is the single cause for the disappearance of childhood? (Evaluation of Postman)

Answer 12

Ignores other influential factors

Question 13

Who talks about childhood in postmodern society?

Answer 13

Jenks

Question 14

What does Jenks believe about childhood which is different to Postman’s view?

Answer 14

It is changing, not disappearing

Question 15

What does Jenks agree with Ariès about?

Answer 15

The fact that childhood was a creation of modern society

Question 16

What was childhood seen as in modern society?

Answer 16

A preparation stage for adulthood

Question 17

What was preparation for childhood achieved by in modern society?

Answer 17

Nurturing, protection and control of children, especially by child-centred families and the education system

Question 18

As society is going from modern to postmodern, what is happening to childhood according to Jenks?

Answer 18

It is undergoing change

Question 19

Relationships in postmodern society according to Jenks

Answer 19

They are more unstable (E.g. higher divorce rates)

Question 20

Result of increasingly unstable relationships in postmodern society

Answer 20

Generates feeling of insecurity and puts more pressure on adult/child relationship

Question 21

Why are adults more fearful of their children’s security and more preoccupied with protecting their children in postmodern society according to Jenks?

Answer 21

Because adult relationships with their children become the adults last refuge from the constant uncertainty of life

Question 22

How does some evidence support Jenks claims about childhood in postmodern society? (Evaluation of Jenks)

Answer 22

Some evidence shows that parents see their relationship with their children as more important than that with their partners

Question 23

Adjectives to describe support evidence for Jenks’ claims (evaluation of Jenks)

Answer 23

Unrepresentative and small-scale

Question 24

What is Jenks guilty of doing and why? (Evaluation of Jenks)

Answer 24

Guilty of over-generalising bedside he makes sweeping statements that imply all children are in the same position