childhood topic 1 Flashcards
what do sociologists see childhood (C) as
socially consructed
what do sociologists argue about the position that children occupy
-that it is not fixed but differs between different times, places and cultures
the modern western notion of C
how are children believed to be different from adults
they are physically and psychologically different to adults
the modern western notion of C
because children are physically and psychologically different to adults, what do they need
a long period of nurturing and socialization before they are ready for the adult society and its responsibilities
the modern western notion of C
what does Pilcher state that is the most important feature of modern childhood
separateness- childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage and children occupy a separate status from adults
the modern western notion of C
what time and age is associated with childhood
a ‘golden age’ of happiness and innocence and as a result children as seen as vulnerable and in need of protection from the dangers of the adult world
the modern western notion of C
how do kids lead a life of leisure- what is put into place for them to do this
they are largely excluded from paid work- there are las banning child labour
the modern western notion of C
why would the idea of separateness be criticized
because not all children are free from being able to work
what does Wagg say about childhood
that childhood is socially constructed- it is what members of particular places say it is, different cultures construct and define childhood differently
cross-cultural differences in childhood
what does Benedict argue
that children in simpler, non-industrial societies are treated differently from their modern western counterparts because kids are treated the same as adults
cross-cultural differences in childhood
as Benedict argues that in some countries kids are treated the same, how? (3)
1 kids have more responsibility at home and at work
2) less value is placed on obedience to adult authority
3) children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently
provide evidence of research that shows these cross-cultural differences
1)kids in rural Bolivia are expected to work once they are 5 years old
historical differences in childhood
what does Aries believe about C
that it did not exist in the past and it is a recent invention
historical differences in childhood
as Aries believes that childhood did not exist in the past, what evidence is there to support his idea (3)
- soon after being weaned, the child entered society on the same terms as adults, e.g. by doing. They had the same rights, duties and skills as adults
- kids faced the same punishments as adults
- clothes for kids were the same as adults
historical differences in childhood
what does Shorter believe
that parental attitudes towards children were very different, e.g. high death rates encouraged indifference and neglect, especially towards infants
historical differences in childhood
what does Aries believe that C began to emerge as a result of (2)
- schools began to specialise in education for the young, in the past education was influenced by the church
- there are laws restricting child labour and laws on compulsory education
historical differences in childhood
what does Pollock argue
that in the middle ages, society had a different view on C, rather than arguing C did not exist
what does the functionalist ‘march of progress’ view say on C
-that C has improved
why do functionalists believe that C has improved (3)
- because of laws banning child labour
- laws on compulsory education
- growth of kids rights
what do Aries and Shorter agree with from the functionalist view
that childhood is better than the past because they are better cared for, protected and educated, more healthy
what does better health for kids mean
survive and live longer
in modern day, how are kids needs better cared for (main reason)
smaller families means a lot of attention on a small amount of kids
what do functionalists believe that families have become
child-centered - children are no longer ‘seen and not heard’
what do functionalists believe about society
that it is more child-centered than in the past because of leisure centers etc
what 2 groups criticize the functionalist view that C has improved
marxists and feminists
why are Marxists and feminists against the march of progress view (general idea)
because it ignores the inequalities and problems that children may face
a conflict view
what does Palmer believe that some children face
a toxic childhood
how does palmer believe that some children face a toxic childhood (due to what changes)
rapid cultural and technological changes in the past 25 years have damaged kid’s emotional, intellectual and physical development
what do Margo and Dixon say on childhood being toxic
that UK youth are at the top of the league table for:
- obesity
- self-harm/ suicide
- teen pregnancies
- drug and alcohol abuse
what do the problems of childhood such as teen pregnancies show people about C
that the idea of childhood as an innocent and protected stage is under threat
how is childhood not a protected and privileged time for many (3)
- kids are more exposed to technology, they believe that their self-worth comes from social media,
- obesity, self-harm etc show that some kids are not well nurtured
- poverty may cause a lot of problems for children
inequalities among children
-how does nationality affect C
kids from different nationalities may experience different childhoods and life chances
inequalities among children
-how does gender affect C- what did Hillman find out
-Hillman found out that boys are more likely to be allowed to cross or cycle across roads and go out unaccompanied
inequalities among children
-how does gender affect C- what did Bonke find out
-that girls do more domestic labour especially in single parent families where they do 5 times more housework than the boys
list the inequalities between adults and children (5)
-neglect and abuse adults control kids: -space -time -bodies -control children's access to resources
inequalities between adults and kids
1) neglect and abuse
-in 2006 how many children were on the child protection register
-31,400
inequalities between adults and kids
2) control over kids space
- kids in which places are highly regulated?
-kids in industrial societies are highly regulaated in contrast with the independence of many children in Third World countries e.g. they are under close surveillance and restricted from certain areas
inequalities between adults and kids
2) adults control kids space
- why do parents control how far or where kids go
-fears of stranger danger
inequalities between adults and kids
2) adults control kids space
- what did Hillman find out about close surveillance
- in 1971 80% of 7-8 year olds were allowed to go out without adult supervision
- by 1990 this had fallen to 9%
inequalities between adults and kids
3) adults control kids time
- how do they do this
-they control what time their kids get up, sleep, daily routines. play, watch tv
how else do adults control kids time
they control the speed at which their kids grow
inequalities between adults and kids
4) adults control kids bodies
- how do they do this
- they control how they sit, eat, what their kids wear
- parents touch their kids, wash them, touch them in a loving way, they me be disciplined by being smacked
inequalities between adults and kids
5) control over kids access over resources
- how do parents do this (3)
- kids have limited control over money and so their parents buy everything for them
- laws banning kids labour
- compulsory schooling banns kids from work
what is age patriarchy- what does Gittens say
-he uses this term to describe the inequalities between adults and kids
how may kids resist being controlled by adults- said by Hockey and James (3)
- they may act like adults by doing things that kids should not be doing
- may exaggerate their age
- acting down- behaving like a younger child e.g. by reverting to baby talk
what do critics say against the ‘age patriarchy’ idea and against the child liberationist view (2)
- that adult control is important because children cannot make rational decisions so are unable to safeguard their interests themselves
- they also point out that children are not as powerless as the child liberationists claim. For example, the 1989 children act gives legal rights for kids to be protected and consulted
what do critics say about child liberationists who think that children are powerless- what is put in place to safeguard kids
-critics point out that children are not as powerless as the child liberationists claim. For example, the 1989 children act gives legal rights for kids to be protected and consulted
how is the difference between childhood and adulthood becoming less clear (3)
- teen pregnancies show how kids are taking part in adult activity
- self-worth from social media has started to be a young kids thing
- kids committing crime
what does Postman say about the future of C
that childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed
why does postman believe that C is disappearing (4)
- kids are given the same rights as adults
- the disappearance of kids traditional unsupervised games
- the growing similarity of kids and adults clothing
- similarity in adult and kids activities e.g gaming and technology
what does postman say that has led to the emergence and disappearance of C
-the rise and fall of print culture and its replacement by television culture
(postmans idea)
-why was there no division between the child and adult world in the middle ages
because no-one could read or write so speech was the only form of communication used by everyone
(postmans idea)
-how was C emerged as a separate status because of the print culture (2)
- because the printed word created an information hierarchy- a sharp division between adults who could read and children who could not read
- therefore children were seen as innocent and ignorant
(postmans idea)
-how does TV blur the distinction between C and adulthood (3)
- it destroys the information hierarchy
- because TV does not need special skills to access it and it makes information available to adults and children alike
- the innocence of C is replaced by knowledge
what do critics say about postmans idea how tv made childhood disappear
-critics say that postman placed too much emphasis on tv as a single cause in the disappearance of childhood and ignored other influences
what do Opie and Opie believe
that childhood is not disappearing and believe that there evidence of the continued existence of a separate children’s culture
what do Opie and Opie mean that there is a separate children’s culture
-meaning that there are children’s games, tv programs and nursery rhymes etc
why do Opie and Opie criticise Postman’s idea that tv and print has made C disappear (2)
- because there may be kids books and kids shows to read and watch
- they contradict his claim that children’s own unsupervised games are dying out- they believe that children can and do create their own independent culture separate from adulthood
what do Opie and Opie say about postmans idea that children’s unsupervised games are dying out
-they contradict his claim that children’s own unsupervised games are dying out- they believe that children can and do create their own independent culture separate from adulthood
what does Jenks believe about C
- it is not disappearing
- C is undergoing change as society moves from modernity to postmodern society, in postmodern society the pace of change speeds up and relationships become more unstable
what change does Jenks believe C is undergoing
a change from modernity to postmodern society
what generates feelings of insecurity- with regards to Jenks idea about how society is changing to postmodern
–in modern society, adult’s relationships were more stable, but in postmodern society, the pace of changes speeds up and relationships become more unstable
in postmodern society, what happens with a parents relationships with their children
-it becomes an adult’s last refuge from constant uncertainty and upheaval of life- as a result, adult’s become more fearful of their children’s security
in postmodern society, as parents become more fearful of their kids lives, what view does this give of children
-it makes children be seen as vulnerable and in need of protection
what do child liberationists believe that western childhood is like
-oppressive and it is becoming globalised
what do child liberationists believe that western norms of childhood should be (4)
- a separate life stage
- based in the family and school
- with no economic role e.g. not working
- where kids are viewed as innocent, vulnerable and dependent
why do sociologists believe that childhood is being globalised
because in some countries it may be okay for kids to work as they may not know what is right or wrong because they may have no legislation, therefore not everyone has the same idea of what C is like
what does it mean that C is socially constructed
-it is shaped by social processes such as culture, industrialization, laws and policies, family, education system and post modernity
what does Mayall believe that we risk seeing children as (2)
- as passive objects who have no part in making their own childhoods
- this is where children are viewed as ‘socialisation projects’ for adults to mold, shape and develop
what is the ‘new sociology of childhood’ approach
this approach doesn’t see children as simply ‘adults in the making’ but sees children as active agents who play a major part in creating their own childhoods
(they don’t see kids as adults and see kids as kids)
what does Smart say about the ‘new sociology of childhood’ approach
-it aims to include the views and experiences of children themselves while they are living through childhood
what does Mayall argue that sociology should focus on
the present tense of childhood to study ordinary everyday life from the child’s perspective
what do Mason and Tipper note about children
they note how children actively create their own definitions of who is family
what did Smart find in her study of divorce
that children were actively involved in trying to make the situation better for everyone rather than being passive victims
