SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CHILDHOOD

Question 1

Define Social construction

Answer 1

social construction:an idea which is created and accepted by members of society

Question 2

Discuss Our understanding of what ‘childhood’ is has changed

Answer 2

ARIES:
-During medieval times children were regarded as mini adults->dressed as adults,had the same responsibilities as adults
EXAMPLE:children were punished the same as adult’s if they broke the law
-children were regarded as economic assets:required to contribute towards the family in terms of employment and domestic labour
SHORTER:
-parents didn’t invest emotionally to children due to infant mortality rate being high
-Was no medical care+peoples living conditions were poor so children would pass away young->parents didn’t show much affection as fear of them not being alive long
-parents had large amounts of children->counter the risk of older children passing away

-society started to change as campaigns were launched to stop children working
PILCHER:
-happened due to adults acknowledging the differences between children and adults.Emotiomally,physically and psychologically
-there was growing recognition that children were less mature and the experience of being a child as kept separate from the experiences of adults
-advanced in science led to new laws introduced to protect children from harm giving childhood status
EVALUATION:
western construction of childhood is not shared globally.Not all children in the uk share the same positive experiences

Question 3

Social construction

Discuss the argument there is Global differences in experiences of childhood

Answer 3

globally childhood is experienced differently
PUNCH:
-Children in the Uk are protected from the world of work not all children are EG-in Bolvia children as young as 5 are expected to work+take on domestic responsibilities
FIRTH
-children around the world are still regarded as mini adults and not required to show respect to those who are older
EXAMPLE:Tribal Tikopia it is not part of their culture for children be told what to do by adults
MALLINOWSKI:
-different attitudes towards sexuality in childhood
-in his triobriand study he found that children who took part in sexual activity weren’t discouraged from doing so.In britain we have an age of consent
EVALUATION:
-western constructions of childhood have gradually been exported around the world

Question 4

Changing nature of childhood

March of progress

Answer 4

-social status of children in the west has improved since the beginning of the 20th century
ARIES:
-children were seen as mini adults but a new perception of childhood as emerged=modern cult of childhood
-number of changes which have impacted how people view and treat children
1)products today are aimed at children
EXAMPLE:clothes and toys
-children were no longer regarded as mini adults but a separate group
2)focus of education shifted
- more schools created which focused on the teachings of children rather than adults
-children then seen as a group which needed to be nurtured and developed by adults
3)adults became interested in child rearing techniques
-parents were interested in their child’s development+wanted to raise them in the ‘right way’
CUNNINGHAM:
-britain is a child centred society:children were given special status in which they regarded as the most important family member in society+of families
-government policy’s were created to protect children from harm
-parents saw children as something they should love and cherish so families got smaller so they could pay more attention to them
-children became an economic burden as patents spend a lot of money on them to ensure their needs are being met
EVALUATION:
-Not all childhood is a positive experience, some children may suffer problems like abuse and neglect and problems such as poverty