Reading Qs Flashcards
If parents and societies adopt the belief that parents don’t matter, how does this jeopardize
the well-being of children?
Parents and societies will be more likely to abdicate important
responsibilities that are essential to the healthy development of children.
How does Hart restate the first erroneous view in order to more accurately represent what we
know about the effects of parenting on children’s development?
Married, heterosexual
parents do matter
Research has documented that natural family structures benefit nearly every aspect of a
child’s well-being. List the six specific benefits research has documented.
These include: [1] greater educational opportunities;
[2] better emotional health;
[3] better physical health;
[4] less substance abuse,
[5] lower incidences of early sexual activity for girls;
and [6] less delinquency for boys.
Married parents are in the best position to protect their children against ______, which is a
defining predictor of academic and social problems in children.
poverty
How does Hart restate the second erroneous view in order to more accurately represent what
we know about the effects of parenting on children’s development?
Fathers and mothers do
make unique contributions to child development
The single most important factor for diminishing delinquent behavior is _______.
The
presence of the father in the home.
Fathers make unique contributions. For example, research indicates that fathers are more
____________ with their children than mothers and fathers who elicit positive emotion during
play help children __________ and _______ in ways that can result in more positive social
adjustment with peers.
physically playful; learn to read social cues; regulate their emotions
Mothers also make unique contributions. For example, children who have more _______
mothers were able to engage in more _______ and ________ play with peers.
reasoningoriented; prosocial; cooperative
How does Hart restate the third erroneous view in order to more accurately represent what
we know about the effects of parenting on children’s development?
Parenting does make a
difference in children’s behavior outside of the home.
Parenting carries over in the way that children interact with their peers. For example,
research indicates that parents who are more ________ tend to have children who are more
_______ and _______ with their peers, while parents who are more _______ and _______
tend to have children who are more _______ and ______ with peers.
coercive; coercive;
aggressive; warm; responsive; cooperative; sociable
How does Hart restate the fourth erroneous view in order to more accurately represent what
we know about the effects of parenting on children’s development?
Genetics, peers, and
particularly parents matter.
Parents can influence their adolescent’s choice of friends. Research indicates that parents
who are _______, ________ and ________ tend to have adolescents who are more careful
in their selection of peers.
emotionally connected with their teens; set regulatory limits; foster
autonomy in teen decision making.
Genetic influences are thought to produce some inborn predispositions. Name some of the
predispositions that research has uncovered.
aggression, shyness, sociability,
impulsiveness, higher or lower activity and emotionality levels, and religiosity.
In what three ways does Hart suggest parents can exert a positive influence on their children?
[1] by teaching morals and values;
[2] by proactively helping children overcome
less desirable inborn characteristics; and
[3] by enhancing many positive inborn capabilities
by providing opportunities for further development.
Berk states in the preface of the text that parenting advice has vacillated. What four
philosophies does she describe as presently being espoused in our contemporary society?
Parents are in control, so get tough; parents are powerful teachers, so train and instruct as
early as possible; children should have more power, so wait for children’s readiness cues;
and parents are powerless, in fact children’s genes and peers largely determine how they will
turn out
Describe the current view of researchers on the nature v. nurture controversy.
It is a
balanced, inclusive view that acknowledges the influences of both nature and nurture. These
forces are considered to be interrelated and powerful.
Whose theory does Berk use to serve as the framework of this book? How does this theory
help answer questions about promoting positive child development?
Lev Vygotsky and
sociocultural theory. He explains how social encounters with adults (or more expert peers)
lead development along. Children contribute their own dispositions, talents, and interests,
and adults can assist by tailoring their communications with the child to the development of
desirable competencies
Berk points to something that she says is often mistakenly regarded as fleeting and
inconsequential, but which actually affects children profoundly. What is this?
Shared activities between adult and child.
In the first chapter, Berk described the bewilderment of many of today’s parents. What are
the two reasons she gives for this confusion?
Rapid societal changes that have complicated
parents’ tasks, and information for parents that is voluminous but contradictory.
What is Berk’s analysis of the “quality time” issue? What kind of time does she feel children
need from their parents?
(Children need positive, supportive parenting interchanges, but this
quality interaction must be long-term to be effective. Children need a lot of time and positive
exchanges with their parents. Parents need these opportunities to become familiar with their
children’s talents, shortcomings, preferences, styles of learning, and ways of coping with
hardship
When considering decisions about balancing home and work, what does Berk suggest
mothers should consider in making their decisions?
Mothers must balance their
commitments in a way that allows them to maintain a priority on their effectiveness as
parents.
What does Berk identify as the two extremes of the rhythmic pendulum of parenting beliefs?
An adult-imposed, directive approach and a child-centered, laissez-faire approach
What impact did behaviorist procedures have on parents in the 1920s and 30s in terms of
their academic demands of children? Why and how did it backfire?
These parents mapped
out routines, created structure , and imposed drill and repetition in learning. It backfired
because this teaching was not adjusted to children’s interests and capabilities: they exhibited
high levels of stress and showed declines in self-confidence and motivation.
Who are the three theorists that Berk assigns to the “child supremacy” theories?
Rousseau, Freud, and Piaget
What does Damon currently contend in terms of the effects of modern child-centeredness on
children?
(Child-centeredness has been stretched to the point of unrestrained child
gratification, thus children and youth are less engaged, less purposeful, less accomplished
academically, and more egoistical and antisocial.
Understanding the new, more complex view of child development is important. What is the
vital prerequisite for parents enacting this perspective, according to Berk?
Parents must
arrange their lives to invest time and energy in young children.
What advice does Berk give for solving the “time bind”?
Turn off the TV; take time each day
to interact one-on-one; involve children in positive play, recreation, and daily tasks; have
predictable routines, consistently enforced rules, and sufficient oversight.
How does early experience join with biology to affect brain development in the early years?
Stimulation is vital in the survival of connections between neurons during the early years;
high plasticity allows children to develop functionality before brain regions have taken on
specific functions; appropriate levels of stimulation wire the brain.
How can parenting practices positively influence shy children’s temperaments?
Parents can warmly but consistently and assertively require new experiences and guide and support their
child in these efforts so that the child develops a more adaptive style.
How does Berk characterize and enumerate the various roles of parents and other adults
who apply good rearing practices?
(They become buffers, shields of protection, agents of
change, gatekeepers, and conveyers of culture
What are the basic tenets of the socio-cultural theory?
All higher forms of thinking are deeply
affected by children’s social experiences, which means that children’s minds are socially
formed; language is an indispensable tool of the mind; children learn and practice thinking by
participating in purposeful activities and thereby learn culturally valued skills.
Quoting from the The Family: A Proclamation To the World, parents are given the sacred duty to
“rear their children in __________ and _____________, to provide for their _______ and
_________ needs, to teach them to _________ and _____________ one another, to
_____________ the commandments of God and to be _________ __________ wherever they
live.”
love; righteousness; physical; spiritual; love; serve; observe; law-abiding citizens
President Gordon B. Hinckley indicated that the good result from what effort is life’s most satisfying compensation?
parenting
What three words did he use to describe the atmosphere that should be present in a good home?
_______, __________________, and ______________________.
parenting; love; security; faith
The innately evil view of childhood led many to believe that ________ _______ was legitimized
and _____ _ _______ were thought to be harmful.
(child punishment; displays of affection) The
LDS perspective (circle one): accepts/rejects this view. (rejects) Why? What effect does this have
on the way we should treat children? (Little children are saved by Christ through His merciful
atonement. Therefore, children are not evil by nature. Parents who accept gospel teachings
recognize that it is not appropriate to attempt to “break the will” of their child, nor to resort to
severe physical punishment to teach and train them in the ways of righteousness.)
The blank slate view of childhood essentially posits that what a child becomes is simply a function
of his/her _______________. However, this view does not take into account the gospel teaching
that ultimately individuals have the __________ to choose their own _____________.
experiences; agency; destiny
While the innately good view of childhood might seem to be consistent with gospel viewpoints,
what important difference is there between this view and the LDS perspective?
In the gospel
view, parents are encouraged and admonished to actively teach their children rather than leaving
them to their own devices to develop according to an intuitive sense of right and wrong.
In the gospel view, children have the capacity for transgression, but are innocent and pure of any
sin or evil. They can succumb to sin when ________ or
__________.
they are given wrong direction or no direction; they willfully
choose evil over good after the age of accountability
At what age have researchers found that the necessary intellectual and reasoning capacities of
children enable them to make moral decisions?
around age 8
The truest description of children’s nature is as the children of ________.
light
How does believing this influence the way you will treat, guide, and view your children?
This
understanding that children are sons and daughters of God can inspire an important sense of
respect and reverence for the individual you are nurturing as a parent.
Besides the unique biological blueprint that parents give to their children (nature) and their unique
experiences and environments (nurture), what else can account for the differences between
children?
President Brigham Young encouraged
parents to “study their [children’s] ___________ and their ____________ and to deal with them
accordingly.”
spiritual predispositions, talents, and desires.
dispositions; temperaments
In fitting nature with nurture, it is clear that children by their very natures can require different
_________ _________ for different siblings in the same family and that siblings may respond to the same parenting styles in different ways according to how experiences are filtered through their _______. Also, ____________ family influences are as important, or even more important, than genes in creating likenesses between brothers and sisters.
(parenting behaviors), (perceptions), (shared)
In reference to children’s spiritual capacities, what is the parents’ role as they discover their
children’s strengths and weaknesses?
(Parents can be supportive by helping children overcome
their weaknesses and build on their strengths.)
What scripture does President Gordon B. Hinckley recommend to every parent?
Parental righteous dominion emphasizes which characteristics?
(D&C 121:41–43)
(charity, gentleness, kindness, long-suffering, persuasion)
What are the seven things parents can provide for their children in order to promote optimal
development?
[1] love, warmth, and support;
[2] clear and reasonable expectations for competent behavior;
[3] limits and boundaries with some room for negotiation and compromise;
[4] reasoning and developmentally appropriate consequences and punishments for breaching
established limits;
[5] opportunities to perform competently;
[6] absence of coercive, hostile forms
of discipline, such as harsh physical punishment;
[7] models of appropriate behavior that are consistent with self-control, positive values, and positive attitudes.
Provide a brief description of the coercive parenting style and its effects on children.
Coercive parents hold power over children through derogatory, punitive, or psychologically controlling
means. This parenting style is associated with externalizing behaviors, such as aggression,
disruptive behavior, and delinquency, and with internalizing emotions, such as anxiety and
depression.
What have modern prophets counseled about the use of physical punishment based on the
biblical warning that sparing the rod will spoil the child?
Modern prophets counsel that children
need love and encouragement rather than beatings. The concept of the rod can be seen in light
of other scriptures that demonstrate its use as a tool to guide, protect, and comfort the sheep.)
Provide a brief description of the permissive parenting style and its effects on children.
Permissive parents indulge their children. This style keeps restrictions, demands for mature
behavior, and consequences for misbehavior at a minimum. Research suggests that while
children reared permissively may be quite social and have a low rate of internalizing problems,
they also tend to do less well academically, are more defiant of authority, and have a higher rate
of adolescent sexual activity and substance abuse
Parenting that fosters a positive _____________ ____________ with children and provides for
____________ that places ______ and _________ limits on child behavior and allows for
reasonable child ___________ in __________ _______ is typically referred to as authoritative
parenting.
(emotional connection; regulation; fair; consistent; autonomy; decision making)
In general, what positive effects does authoritative parenting have on development?
Children and adolescents from authoritative homes are or tend to be: [1] better adjusted in school; [2] less aggressive and delinquent, [3] less likely to use drugs, [4] more friendly and accepted by peers, [4] more communicative, [5] more self-motivated, [6] more academically inclined, [7] more willing to abide by rules and laws, [8] more capable of moral reasoning and [9] more self-controlled.)
Compare and contrast the way a parent using the coercive style might attempt to correct a child’s
misbehavior with the way that a parent using the authoritative style might.
Coercive parents are likely to administer harsh and arbitrary punishments. They attempt to control or dominate and often vent anger during punishment. Authoritative parents realize that a child’s mistake gives
them an opportunity to teach. They insure that reasonable limits are clear, they take time to correct the behavior, help children feel loved, and they use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior.
List five ideas from the section on regulation that will be particularly helpful to you as you work
with children.
Responses could include some of the following: setting appropriate rules, providing warnings, finding alternatives to physical punishment, and keeping a positive tone in the home.
Describe parental communication in an authoritative home. Tell how this style of upbringing
assists children in developing autonomy and decision-making skills.
Parental communication in
authoritative homes is nonjudgmental and open. Since there is a degree of power-sharing in
these relationships, children have an opportunity to think, choose, consult, and learn from their
parents, helping them develop an ability to wisely use their autonomy and hone their decision making skills.
How are LDS authoritative parents likely to find answers to ways they can provide an individualized parenting approach appropriate for each of their children?
by humbly seeking the guidance of the Holy Ghost
How likely will a parent be at “100 percent peak operating efficiency” all of the time? What can
they do to improve?
Parenting is a sanctifying process. Parents get fatigued, stressed, and deal with a variety of circumstances and difficult behaviors that can strain their abilities to act
authoritatively in each situation. However, parents can try to be unified and consistent, apologize when they make mistakes, and seek the Lord’s help in overcoming personal weaknesses
What is most likely to make a child more loveable?
(the pure love of the parent expressed often to
the child
What principles of the Proclamation can encourage a wandering child to come back to his family?
faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, and compassion
In light of existing evidence regarding the influence of parenting skill and children’s biological
dispositions, what three distinct perspectives have emerged?
([1] Parents are not essential to
children’s development; [2] An average expectable environment provided by parents is all that is
needed; [3] Optimal, rather than “good enough,” parenting is essential for children’s optimal
development
What role does a climate of parent-child interaction play?
(This climate likely moderates how
receptive children are to certain parenting practices, such as reasoning or limit setting, when
enacted in specific child-rearing contexts.
The dimensional approach to parenting styles, which explores socialization influences, is useful in
desegregating distinctive modes of socialization in order to determine their links to child
development outcomes. What do these include?
(These include, but are not limited to,
contrasting dimensions of: [a] power-assertive v. inductive; [b] position-centered v. personcentered; [c] parent-centered v. child-centered; [d] punishment-oriented v. reason-oriented; and
[e] harsh/restrictive v. positive/nonrestrictive.)
What are three features of parenting that include many of the positive dimensions noted in this
section that have been consistently used in describing competent parenting?
(The three features
are: [1] degree of parental support shown to a child [e.g., acceptance, affection, involvement,
nurturance]; [2] the degree of behavioral control placed on a child [e.g., limit setting, supervision,
reasoning about and following through with consequences]; and [3] the degree to which parents
facilitate the development of psychological/emotional autonomy in children [e.g., choice giving,
allowing child input into rule making, permitting the expression of ideas, avoiding intrusive
behavior.)
What can the flexible use of authoritative-style features provide for children?
It can provide the best fit for children with varying temperamental dispositions.)
What outcomes have been linked to secure attachments with parents?
Secure attachments have
been linked with “working models” that provide the child with expectations of positive reciprocal
interpersonal outcomes from interactions with others; better emotion regulation; and selfconfidence in interacting with unfamiliar peers.
What outcomes have been associated with mutually enjoyable interactions?
Outcomes include
advances in initiating play ideas, attending to a play partner’s desires and needs, and responding
to a partner’s initiations in peer-group interaction.)
How have parent/child relationships been conceptualized from a regulation standpoint?
Regulation is considered to be vertical and asymmetrical with the focus on parents instructing,
correcting, teaching, or disciplining their children
What is the function of authoritative regulation? How is this typically done?
The function is to
persuade children to adopt parental views on certain issues and to regulate their behavior
accordingly. This is typically done by setting limits, reasoning about rules and the consequences
of misbehavior, reinforcing positive behavior, and following through with a judicious use of
punishment as needed.
How are authoritative parents likely to handle a situation where limits that they have explained in
advance are violated?
Authoritative parents are more likely to be firm and consistent when following through in non-punitive ways with logical consequences that are tied to the misdeeds.
Opportunities are then given for children to practice trying again, armed with new information about the why’s and how’s of enacting good behavior.
The authors mentioned three factors that affect how children resonate to reasoning-oriented
parental input. What are they?
These three factors are the age of the child, how “connected” their relationship is with the parent, and their ability to understand.
How do children learn to become better self-regulators?
by developing decision-making skills
and learning how to make personal decisions within limits that are acceptable to parents.
What is the function of supporting children’s autonomy?
to help children view adults as providers
of information and guidance rather than as delivers of messages of control
Authoritative parenting that includes balanced features of autonomy granting, along with
regulation through limit setting, follow-through, and reasoning, as well as connection that is
reflected in mutually responsive and satisfying relationships, likely sets the stage for what skills to
develop?
social and communication skills.
The degree to which these skills flourish are likely constrained or enhanced by what?
biological and genetic factors that are inherent in each child.
What is the function of coercion and how is it likely to be administered?
to force children to adopt parental views on certain issues and to regulate their behavior accordingly; it is more likely to be administered in a harsh, arbitrary manner.
