Childhood theorists and concepts test

Question 1

Who argues that childhood is a social construct ?

Answer 1

• Wagg argues that childhood was made by society and this links to childhood experiences being different in other societies

Question 2

Who argues that children used to be an economic asset but have turned in to an economic burden

Answer 2

• Aires - he argues that we are now in a child centered society because times have progressed since industrialisation

Question 3

What is a mini adult ?

Answer 3

A min adult is a child who was independent at young ages such as seven pre industrialisation

Question 4

Has social policy contributed to different experiences in childhood ?

Answer 4

yes - such as THE AGE OF SEXUAL CONSENT

• 1994 education act - this lead to the rights of children to be protected because it means that .
  .
  -1989 – The Children’s Act- protects children from abuse

Question 5

What is meant by the cult of childhood ? Which theorists argues this

Answer 5

Aires
- This is a concept that is used to describe 21st century views on childhood , people now form strong bonds because of the infant mortality rate

Question 6

Who argues that childhood is kept separate from adult hood ?

Answer 6

PIncher

Question 7

Who argues that childhood is now a golden age ?

Answer 7

• Picher refers to childhood as the golden age of innocence which has been achieved through social policy that has been used to protect children from adult experiences

Question 8

Name some social policies that have contributed to the development of childhood ?

Answer 8

Children’s act 2004 - ensures that professionals that work with children keep the values of every child matters initiative

Question 9

What is an example of Childhood being a social construct and shows cross cultural differences in childhood

Answer 9

• Punchs study of bolivia when children were expected to work from the age of five

Question 10

What has Donzelot argued about state surveillance

Answer 10

He argues that the increase in state surveillance has lead parents to focus more on there behaviour patterns against children .

Question 11

Give two ways childhood has changed over the last 100 years

Answer 11

• One way is through social policy’s which have contributed to society being more child centered according to AIRES . because parents are able to spend more money on them and children are living longer .. Furthermore children are no longer economic assets but because of a cultural shift children have more rights etc ..
• Another way is through the expansion of education has lead to a change in childhood in the last 100 years . this can be seen through social policy eg the education act 194 leqad gov to take responsibility for education on a national level and the rise of the educational leaving age from 16 to 18 .. furthermore this protects children’s rights that wasn’t done pre industrialisation ..

Question 12

GIve four sociological explanations of changes in the status of childhood

Answer 12

• Aires - child centeredness furthermore social construct ..
• Evaluation - Toxic childhood palmer
• Wagg social construct
• Evaluation -
• Picher development of childhood
• Evaluation - Sexulaisation of childhood postman..

Question 13

What is the counter argument against a golden age of childhood ?

Answer 13

• Toxic childhood - Palmer agues that children are being deprived of a traditional upbringing because there parents are not spending any time with them , instead parents are using modern technology which is leading to a lack of socialisation
• The sexulaisation of childhood - Postman suggests that the media is exposing children to adult experiences which in turn is encouraging children to grow up too quickly which means that the distinction between childhood and adulthood is starting to blur which suggests that it is disappearing this is known as social blurring . he believes that there needs to be tighter censorships on media
• Flight from parenting - Melanie Phillips believes that the culture of parenting is being undermined by extensive child rights eg they cant be disciplined which means that they are becoming deviant

Question 14

Which theorist talks about toxic childhood ? briefly explain

Answer 14

• Palmer - because of increased technology children are being deprived of socialisation and quality time with there parents

Question 15

Who talks about the sexualisation of childhood ?

Answer 15

Postman

Question 16

Give a brief explanation of the sexualisation of childhood ?

Answer 16

according to postman lines between adulthood and childhood are beginning to become blurred

Question 17

What is the conflict of view of childhood ?

Answer 17

The conflict view suggests that childhood is not a shared experience and can be negative for some specifically those of a working class background or different ethnicity .

• Eg jasper argues that white teachers fear Caribbean boys and ignore them in class this means that they will have low academic achievement
• Gittens age patriarchy