Western Notion Of Childhood: Child Centred Society

Question 1

Jane Pilcher (1995)

Answer 1

The most important feature of the modern idea of childhood is separateness. Childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage, and children in our society occupy a selection status from adults.

Question 2

Stephen Wagg (1992)

Answer 2

Childhood is socially constructed. It is what members of particular societies at particular times in particular spaces and particular spaces. There is no single universal childhood. Childhood isn’t natural and should be distinguished.

Question 3

Ruth Benedict (1934)

Answer 3

Children in simpler, non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from their modern western counterparts by:

• taking responsibility from an early age
• Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority
• Children’s sexual behaviour is often viewed differently

Question 4

Globalisation of Western Childhood

Answer 4

• Seperate life stage
• Nuclear family
• School
• Innocence
• Dependency
• Vulnerability
• No Economic Role

Question 5

Aries

Answer 5

Middle ages (from tge 10th to the 13th centuries), the idea of childhood did not exist.

Children were mini adults with the same rights and duties and skills as an adult.

Aries saw artwork and children didn’t have characteristics of of childhood.

Question 6

Shorter (1975)

Answer 6

High death rates encouraged indifference and neglect especially towards infants.

Question 7

Aries

Answer 7

Elements of modern childhood gradually began to emerge from century onwards:

• schools came to specialise purely in the education of the young.
• there was a growing distinction between children’s and adult’s clothing.
• handbooks on child rearing were widely available.

Question 8

Aries cult of childhood

Answer 8

Developments culminate in the modern cult of childhood. We have moved from an age of disregarding childhood to obsessing over it.

Question 9

Pollard (1983)

Answer 9

Argues in the middle ages society had a different notion of childhood from today.

Question 10

Reason for change in position of childhood

Answer 10

• Law restricting child labour
• Introduction of compulsory schooling
• Child protection and welfare legislation
• Growth of the idea of children’s rights
• Declining family size and lower infant mortality
• Children’s development became the subject of medical knowledge
• Laws and policies that apply specifically to children

Question 11

Industrialisation

Answer 11

Most sociologist argue the development of childhood was because of industrialisation.

Question 12

Postman (1994)

Answer 12

Childhood disappearing at dazzling speed.
•Same rights as adults
•Disappearance of unsupervised games
•Growing similarity of adult and children’s clothing
•Committing of adult crimes
•TELEVISION CULTURE

Question 13

Postman-information hierarchy

Answer 13

Children couldn’t read and only adults could but compulsory schooling caused children to be able to read and write and hold knowledge of information that adults could removing power and division.

Question 14

Opie (1993)

Answer 14

Childhood is not disappearing. Based on lifetime research into children’s unsupervised games, rhymes and songs.

Question 15

Jenks (2005)

Answer 15

Childhood is not disappearing
•modern society concerned with futurity
•Childhood is undergoing change as society
•Generates feeling of insecurity

Question 16

March of Progress

Answer 16

Over the past few centuries position of children in western societies have been steadily improving.

Question 17

Child centred families

Answer 17

Family has become child centred. They are now the focus point of the family

Question 18

Toxic Childhood Sue Palmer

Answer 18

Rapid technological and cultural changes in the past 25 years have damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development.