Family: Childhood Flashcards
What is meant by childhood?
Childhood is a social construct something created and define by society
What are cross cultural differences in childhood?
Benedict argues children in simpler non industrial societies are treated different from modern western society in two ways
Take responsibility at an early age
Less value is placed on children showing obedience to authority
How many western Norms of children are there?
7
What are the western norms of children?
A separate life stage Innocence Dependent Vulnerable No economic role In school In a nuclear family
What was childhood in the Middle Ages like
Aries said that in the Middle Ages
childhood did not exist,
after being weaned the child was expected to enter wider society on the same terms as mini adults.
Parental attitudes were also shortened. High death and rate encouraged neglect and indifference.
When did the modern cult of childhood begin?
13th century
Why did the modern cult of childhood emerge
Aries said it reflected
Schools come to specialise in education of the Young reflected by church influences
Growing distinction between clothes
Growing child centred ness
How is the position of childhood now
It is better than it was in the past
What is happening to childhood
It is disappearing at a dazzling speed
Why is childhood disappearing
Postman say children are becoming more like adults because of the rise and fall of print culture and it replacement television culture
Giving children the same rights as adults
Similarity in children and adult styles
Children committing adult crimes
What are the three stages of information hierarchy
Middle Ages
Print culture
Television culture
What was the Middle Ages information hierarchy
People were illiterate and children were able to enter adult society from an early age childhood wasn’t associated with innocence
What was print culture
Children lacked literacy skills needed to access information so adults could keep adult knowledge a secret and so children were associated with innocence
What is television culture
It blurs the distinction between childhood and adulthood by destroying the information hierarchy
What are Two views towards the position of children
March of progress think it has improved
Conflict view think it hasn’t
How many reasons do the March of progress give for the improvement of childhood
8
What are the March of progress reasons for improved position of children
Better access to health Better rights Better educational opportunity Removed exploitation, can only work from 14 Statistically they are safer Leisure is child centred eg swimming/eating out Families are children centred. Laws protect children
How many reasons do the conflict view give for why the position hasn’t improved
7
What are the reasons the conflict view give for not improvement of position
Technology and cultural changes have damaged people emotional and intellectual development
Caused physical damage such as eating disorders
Caused emotional damage such as cyber bullying
Caused developmental problems for example speaking and social skills
Adult concepts being brought to younger audiences like alcohol
Not all experience childhood the same way because of class, gender and ethnicity
There is still uk child poverty
Why do the Conflict view criticise the March of progress
They say it is based on an idealised image of childhood ignoring inequalities between childhood and adults that are greater than ever
What is meant by a toxic childhood
Palmer argues argues children face a toxic childhood. Rapid technological growth and cultural change have damaged children physically emotionally and intellectually
What are the inequalities between children and adults?
Giddens says there is an age patriarchy - economic dominance - of adult domination and child dependency. There is evidence of oppression in the form of acting up and resist the status of the child
What is the personal life perspective
Aims to include the views of children themselves. They suggest that children create their own views of family and who is important to them.
