Nature Of Childhood sociologists

Question 1

Cunningham

Answer 1

said childhood had been socially constructed in 19th century and had certain characteristics: opposite of adulthood, the world of adult/child is to be kept separate and children have the right to happiness

Question 2

Postman

Answer 2

sees childhood under threat due to media showing them the adult world

Question 3

Phillips

Answer 3

argues that the culture of parenting has broken down due to the innocence of childhood has undermined by two reasons
1st reason – too many rights have been given to children – children should be socialized into a healthy respect for parental authority and parents have been criticizes and penalized for sanctions such as smacking
2nd reason – media and peer pressure have become more influential than parents and encourage young girls to see themselves as sexual objects

Question 4

Palmer

Answer 4

argues that adults are benefitting from technology whereas it is harming children as adults are using them to distract them and not spend as much quality time with each other

Question 5

Evans and Chandler

Answer 5

found that peer pressure was taking a important part in what children buy and they are aware that they can be bullied if they aren’t wearing certain clothes

Question 6

Anchard

Answer 6

childhood has always been separate- parents nurture and protect

Question 7

Pollack

Answer 7

always been around- 16th- 20th centenary diary extracts- children treated as lesser

Question 8

Cunningham

Answer 8

Renaissance art children depicted as innocents

Question 9

Aries

Answer 9

medieval times childhood didn’t exist – live away from home = adult society and worked from 7 years old as they were an economic asset not a symbol of love

Question 10

Hood-Williams

Answer 10

stopped being economic producers instead consumers and given welfare

Question 11

Gittins

Answer 11

after WW2 enjoyed as objects of fun and didn’t work – coincided with population growth with less infant mortality rate and better medicine

Question 12

Wagg

Answer 12

cultures will allow certain things to happen whilst others will not

Question 13

Morrow

Answer 13

culturally things are different- cant generalize

Question 14

Is childhood disappearing

Yes - Postman

Answer 14

due to rise of mass media = access to adult world so boundaries are blurred

Question 15

Is childhood disappearing

Yes - Libertarians

Answer 15

Positive thing – increase in law = more rights

Question 16

Is childhood disappearing

Yes -New Right

Answer 16

New Right –Bad thing – exposed to abuse need more protection and undisciplined and little respect for authority

Question 17

Is childhood disappearing

Yes - Phillips

Answer 17

media to bigger role and childhood has shortened and so there are problems like eating disorders self-harm and depression

Question 18

Is childhood disappearing

No - Nick Lee

Answer 18

media have brought issues to child’s attention but just have become more complex

Question 19

Is childhood disappearing

No - Functionalists

Answer 19

children have their own contained culture and adults want to protect that

Question 20

Is childhood disappearing

No - Marxists and Feminists

Answer 20

Bad thing – childhood oppresses women and working classes- toys stereotype gender roles