F&H 4.6 Childhood Flashcards
What is a social construct?
- A behaviour or practise which is produced by a society. Something that is HUman made.
- Gender, identity, age and childhood are examples of social constructs according to sociologists.
What were the beliefs of Phillipe Aries (1962) when it comes to the notion of childhood?
- Childhood as we know it today did not exist in the Medieval Period. (c. 500 AD - 1500 AD).
- Children were an economic asset not a symbol of love (high death rate
- Prior to that humans took on adult roles as soon as they were physically able: they became “little adults.”
- Ariès concluded that “the cult of the child” emerged with industrialisation. (Class element to this)
Evaluating ARIÈS - What are the criticisms of Aries’ views?
Linda Pollock (1983)
- Just because children appeared to take adult roles in artwork does not mean that there was no such concept as childhood or that parents did not care for their children or see them as requiring care & nurturing.
- People dress for their best clothes in a portrait.
Medieval portraits were often reserved for the rich and wealthy - not representative of majority.
What is generally accepted by most mainstream sociologists about the construct of childhood over time?
- The concept of childhood has accelerated in our modern age. We now protect and nurture children more intensely than ever before
Various other developments throughout History
- Arguably childhood is a product of industrialisation - The shift from agriculture to factory production as the basis of the economy underlies many of the changes discussed.
- Laws and Policies were passed to protect children i.e. the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act 1889.
- Age restrictions exist to separate children from adults.
- From 1870 all children were made to attend school from five until 10.
- Lower Infant Mortality Rates
- The creation of the welfare state and compulsory secondary education
What was Chapman’s view of childhood?
Chapman (2004)
- it was not until the nineteenth century that childhood became socially constructed
- Instead of children bringing economic advantage to households through gainful employment, they now represented a significant cost to parents and for longer periods of time
What are some of the differences when it comes to the global experience of childhood?
Cross cultural differences in childhood
Anthropologist Ruth Benedict (1934) argues that children in simpler, non industrial societies are generally treated differently from their modern western counterparts in three ways…
1. They take responsibility at an early age.
Samantha Punch (2001) studied childhood in rural Bolivia and found that once children are about 5 years old they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home and community.
2. Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority.
Raymond Firth (1970) found that among the Tikopia of the west Pacific, children are not expected to obey their parents.
3. Children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently..
Cambodian Love Huts
For example among the Trobriand Islanders of the South west Pacific, Malinowski (1957) found that adults took an attitude of ‘tolerance and amused interest’ towards children’s sexual explorations and activities.
What are some of the differences when it comes to the UKs experience of childhood?
Social class
- Marilyn Howard Children who live in poverty are likely to have poor diet, poor housing and therefore various health conditions. There are also higher incidences of both abuse and neglect for children from families with the lowest incomes.
Ethnicity
- some minority-ethnic groups are more likely to be in lower income brackets so both factors influence the experience of childhood.
- black and mixed-race children are significantly more likely to be in care than white and Asian children.
- Julia Brannen (1994) Asian parents are often stricter with girls than boys
Gender
- Bonke (1999) argued that there were more expectations on girls to perform housework and domestic chores than there were on boys.
- Parents are often stricter with daughters than sons, or certainly more controlling. Hillman et al (1990) found that boys could stay out after dark, cross roads and travel unaccompanied at younger ages than girls.
- McRobbie and Garber describe a “bedroom culture”. They argue that boys and girls develop separate youth subcultures because their experience of childhood and adolescence is very different, with boys being out on the town and girls being at home.
What is the conventional theoretical approach to childhood?
- Many functionalist & New Right thinkers subscribe to this approach.
- Highlight role of parent and primary socialisation process is key.
- Tend to be critical of non-conventional family types (eg. same-sex / lone parents)
- Many are critical of our liberal, hyper-sexualised, social media age.
Melanie Phillips conventional approach
- Good parenting has been distorted by liberal ideas and state policies, which have given too many rights and powers to children. Phillips argues that children should be socialised into a healthy respect for parental authority. However, she argues that children’s rights have undermined this process, and parents are increasingly criticised and penalised for resorting to sanctions such as smacking.
- The media and the peer group have become more influential than parents. Phillips sees the media - magazines aimed at young girls, pop music videos and television - as a particular problem, because they encourage children to envisage themselves as sexual beings at a much younger age.
Postman and Sue Palmer childhood +television
Postman (1982)
- childhood is under threat because television exposes children to the adult world too soon. Postman argues that childhood, as a period of innocent happiness, is being lost, for two reasons.
- 1. the popularity of television means that there are no more secrets from children. Television gives them unlimited access to the adult world. They are exposed to the ‘real world’ of sex, disaster, death and suffering.
- 2. ‘social blurring’ has occurred so there is little distinction between adults and children. Children’s games are disappearing -they are often playing the same computer games as adults. The fact that children are spending more time living at home and are economically dependent on their parents for longer periods compared with the past has extended this problem.
Sue Palmer (2007)
- Palmer claims parents are too happy to use television, electronic games and junk food to keep them quiet. Children are therefore deprived of traditional childhood and family life
What is the social action theory theoretical approach to childhood?
- Criticise the conventional approach.
- Focus on how children see and interpret the world around them.
- Each child’s experience is unique. They are not empty vessels.
- Social Action theory argues that socialisation is a two-way process in which children actually contribute.
Morrow (1998)
children can be constructive and reflective contributors to family life. Most of the children in Morrow’s study had a pragmatic view of their family role - they did not ‘ want to make decisions for themselves but they did want a say in what happened to them.
Valentine (1999)
argues that children and adults often fight over the ‘right to independence’. She notes that children can influence the process of acquiring this right by behaving in particular ways - by manipulating their parents’ judgements or by convincing one parent that they are competent and responsible in order to secure the right to more independence and freedom.
