Parenting Styles & Discipline

Question 1

power assertion

Answer 1

• give a child a directive/demand/command (telling a child what to do)
• May require physical action/force (ie. turning off the TV, holding a child’s hand)
• Explanation or reason is not given
• non-coercive (goal is to minimize parent-child conflict)
• ex. “Hold mommy’s hand while we walk through the parking lot”

Question 2

inductive discipline

Answer 2

• still exercising authority (like power assertion), but you’re also providing an explanation/reason to justify the directive/demand
• not effective for kids with oppositional-defiant disorder → often leads to arguments
• explanation can be a good strategy if it provides some educational value
• non-coercive (goal is to minimize parent-child conflict)
• ex. “Hold mommy’s hand while we walk through the parking lot so that we make sure you stay safe around the moving cars”

Question 3

positive discipline

Answer 3

• win-win for parent and child (both should be happy)
• use reinforcement as much as possible
• when punishment is needed, use natural and logical consequences (not global)
• non-coercive (goal is to minimize parent-child conflict)
• ex. punishment using logical consequences: “If you don’t want to hold my hand, then we’re not going to walk across the street to the ice cream shop”

Question 4

proactive discipline

Answer 4

• use strategies to prevent the challenge/misbehaviour
• must be used in developmentally appropriate ways (if inappropriate, it can become helicopter parenting); involves anticipatory awareness of difficulties your child may have
• non-coercive (goal is to minimize parent-child conflict)
• ex. structuring a child’s time to prevent boredom; minimizing exposure to challenging situations and/or forbidden objects; initiating joint play to scaffold (ex. when turn-taking at a playdate)

Question 5

shaming

Answer 5

• question a child’s character; inducing shame/embarrassment (wanting child to feel ashamed); making them feel really bad when they’re doing the wrong thing
• we would expect more negative effects on the child through this method → no positive effect on children
• ex. “You’re being really dumb right now”

Question 6

guilt induction

Answer 6

• induce guilt for specific behaviour (ex. how it affects others) but leave child’s sense of self alone (focusing on the behaviour, not the child)
• no positive effect on children unless used in a specific way
• ex. “How do you think you made that boy feel when you hit him?”

Question 7

love withdrawal

Answer 7

• take away love (negative punishment); making love conditional → creates anxiety in children, start to constantly look for approval
• no positive effect on children
• ex. “You don’t hug to hug or cuddle mommy anymore”

Question 8

autocratic vs. democratic parenting

Answer 8

• autocratic parenting: popular in early 1900s; children were told what to do and were expected to comply without questioning their parents. Parents did not tolerate children expressing their opinions/desires→ idea was to prevent children being spoiled and/or having too much power
• democratic parenting: children have more of a say in decisions

Question 9

Stanley Hall

Answer 9

• founder of the Child Study Movement (late 1800s)
• goal: to develop a science of psychology and education that respected the unique nature and developmental needs of children as opposed to viewing children as miniature and inferior adults.
• Hall helped Americans recognize the differences between children, adolescents, and adults → we need to pay attention to unique developmental needs of children and adolescents; identifying “norms” for developmental stages

Question 10

John Watson

Answer 10

• proponent of the dangers of parental affection (late 1920s)
• emphasized how the environment can influence individual behavior. He suggested that parents should not immediately respond to their crying infants and that parents should feed infants according to a strict schedule
• these recommendations, though not supported by research evidence today, found widespread acceptance in American culture (1920s to 1940s) and psychological theories

Question 11

John Bowlby

Answer 11

• attachment theory and importance of responsive parenting (movement to democratic parenting)
• Mary Ainsworth found evidence that caregivers who responded promptly and sensitively to infants’ cues (during times of infant stress), had infants with less anxiety/fussiness, which she referred to as secure attachment. Secure attachment was found to be associated with an infant’s ability and willingness to ‘explore’ their environment
• opposite of Watson → giving child as much love/affection as they want/need → won’t end up indulgent, will end up secure

Question 12

Rene Spitz

Answer 12

• looked at harmful effects of unresponsive caregivers
• found evidence that infants and children in orphanages who were provided “scheduled” rather than “responsive” care showed expressions of grief and over time became listless and apathetic. Many of the infants lost weight, became ill and some failed to thrive as a result

Question 13

Benjamin Spock

Answer 13

• discussed limits within context of warmth and affection
• stressed the need to combine reasonable limits with parental warmth/affection. Spock’s view of effective parenting is consistent with Diana Baumrind’s authoritative parenting style

Question 14

Baumrind’s 3 prototypical parenting styles

Answer 14

• permissive: non-punitive, accepting; consults with child about expectations and makes few demands for responsibility and behaviour; allows child to regulate their own activities, avoids control, sees self as a resource rather than someone the child should emulate
• authoritarian: shapes and controls attitude/behaviour of child using strict standards of conduct; values obedience and forceful punishment, keeping child in his place, assigning responsibilities, preserving order; no give-and-take –> child should obey at all times (autocratic style)
• authoritative: directs child in a rational manner; encourages give-and-take, shares reasoning behind rules; sets standards and exerts control when needed but doesn’t restrict everything; makes decisions based on consensus

Question 15

Kohlberg’s 3 levels of moral reasoning

Answer 15

• Pre-conventional: don’t know social conventions/norms in society (kids)
• • don’t want to use permissive parenting on a child in pre-conventional stage
• • authoritative and a bit of authoritarian is fine (sometimes kids won’t understand authoritative explanations you give them, so you have to be authoritarian)
• Conventional: have internalized society’s expectations for what is right and wrong without questioning/critically thinking about them (older kids/younger adolescents)
• • now you need to use authoritative → can tolerate complexity of reasoning
• • mature teens can have a little bit of permissive
• Post-conventional: begin to question rules, thinking critically about societal norms, inequality, etc. (late teens/young adults)
• • now you can use permissive, can still use authoritative as well