childhood

Question 1

Pilcher (1995)

Answer 1

Childhood is seen as a clear and distinct life stage, and children in out society occupy a separate status from adults

Question 2

Benedict (1934)

Answer 2

argues that children in simpler, non-industrial societies are treated differently from modern Western societies in 3 ways:
- They take responsibility at an early age
- less value is placed in children showing obedience
- Children’s sexual behaviour is viewed differently

Question 3

Punch (2001)

Answer 3

Children in non-industrial societies take responsibility at an early age. in non industrial societies

An example is once children are about 5 years old, they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home and in the community. Tasks are taken on without question or hesitation

Question 4

Firth (1970)

Answer 4

Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority in non industrial societies

An example is found that among the Tikapia of the western pacific, doing as you are told by a grown-up is regarded as a concession to be granted by the child, not a right to be expected by the adult

Question 5

Malinowski (1967)

Answer 5

Children’s sexual behaviour is viewed differently in non-industrial societies

An example is found that adults took an attitude of ‘tolerance and amused interest’ towards children’s sexual explorations and activities

Question 6

Aries (1960)

Answer 6

suggests that in the Middle Ages (from the 10th to the 13th centuries) ‘the idea of childhood did not exist’. He uses evidence from artwork to support this

argued childhood began to emerge from the 13th century onwards.
This was evident as:
1) Schools (which previously adults had also attended)
2) Growing distinction between children’s and adult clothing
3) By the 18th century, handbooks on childbearing were widely available

Question 7

Shorter (1975)

Answer 7

Childhood in middle ages
High death rates encourages indifference and neglect, especially towards infants e.g. not uncommon for parents to give a new-born baby a name of a recently dead sibling and refer to the baby as it, or forget how many children they had

Question 8

Jacques Donzelot (1977)

Answer 8

changes in position of children

observes how theories of child development that began to appear from the 19th century stressed that children need supervision and protection

Question 9

Postman

Answer 9

Postman argues childhood is ‘disappearing at dazzling speed’ This is because of technology, jobs, committing adult crime e.g. James Bulger (10 years held accountable by law. it used to be 14)

Children are also becoming more like adults. This is because we are giving children and adults the same rights. There is also a growing similarity of adults and children’s tastes and styles

Postman argues that the disappearance of childhood is also because of the fall of print culture, and its replacement with television culture. Childhood emerged as a separate status along with mass literacy from the 19th century on. Postman argued the printed word printed word creates an information hierarchy - adults can read, children cannot

Question 10

opie (evaluation for postman)

Answer 10

Argues that childhood is not disappearing

Valuable? - It shows different types of communication technology such as print and television, can influence the way in which childhood is constructed

Over-emphasises what?
A single cause-television - at the expense of other trackers that have influences the development of childhood

Question 11

Jenks

Answer 11

Jenks is a post modernist who believes that childhood is not disappearing but it is changing. He agrees with Aries that childhood is a creation of modern society based on preparation for adulthood, nurture, protection and control. However, childhood is undergoing change as society moves from modernity to postmodernity. Fast social change leads to…
unstable relationships, an increasing divorce rate and feelings of insecurity. So jenks suggests
Children become more important as a source of adults identity and stability, and they then become more fearful for their children’s welfare, believing they must protect them from the dangers of society

Question 12

Aries and Shorter

Answer 12

Aries and Shorter have a march of progress view on the position of children. Over the past few centuries, the position of children in western societies has been steadily improving and today is better than it has ever been

Today, children are more valued, better cared for, protected, and educated, enjoy better health, and have more rights than those of previous generations.

For example Children today are protected from harm and exploitation by laws against child abuse and child labour and Babies have a much better chance of survival now than a century ago

By the time a child reaches their 21st birthday, they will have cost their parents over £227,000.March of progress sociologists argue that the family has become child-centred, children are the focal point of the family.

Question 13

Postman

Answer 13

childhood is ‘disappearing at a dazzling speed’ This is due to technology, jobs, committing adult crime. e.g. James Bulger. 10 years old held accountable by law (used to be 14)

He also argues that the disappearance of childhood is due to the fall of print culture and its replacement by television culture. Postman said that printed words creates an information hierarchy, children cannot. Television blurs the distinction between childhood and adulthood by destroying the information hierarchy.

Question 14

Evaluation of postman

Answer 14

Opie argues that childhood is not disappearing. Postman overemphasises a single cause - television. There are other influences for the development of childhood! However, postman’s ideas are still valuable, he shows that information and technology can influence the way in which childhood is constructed

Question 15

Jenks

Answer 15

He does not believe childhood is disappearing but that it is changing. Agrees with Aries that childhood is a creation of modern society based on preparation for adulthood, nurture, protection and control.

However, he says that childhood is undergoing change as society moves from modernity to postmodernity. Fast social change leads to unstable relationships, an increasing divorce rate and feelings of insecurity. Children therefore become more important as a source of adults identity and stability, and they then become more fearful for their children’s welfare, believing they must protect them from the dangers of society

Question 16

Jenks evaluation

Answer 16

Evidence both for and against Jenks is limited. There is some evidence that parents see their relationship with their children as more important than that with their parents

Over- generalises

Question 17

Aries and Shorter

Answer 17

March of progress view
Over the past few centuries, the position of children in western societies has been steadily improving and today is better than it has ever been. Today, children are more valued, better cared for, protected, and educated, enjoy better health, and have more rights than those of previous generations. For example, children today are protected from harm and exploitation by laws against child abuse and child labour.

Families are becoming more child centred. e.g. by the time a child reaches their 21st birthday, they will have cost their parents over £227,000

Question 18

palmer

Answer 18

(can be used for evaluation of Aries and shorter)
Palmer argues that we now have a ‘Toxic Childhood’, this is due to rapid technological and cultural changes in the past 25 years. This has damaged children’s physical, emotional and intellectual development. These changes range from junk food, computer games and intensive marketing to children

Also, not all children have the same experience of childhood - some have experienced more progress than others, some have more toxic childhoods than others

Question 19

Hillman

Answer 19

Points out gender differences amongst children. Boys are more likely to be allowed to cross or cycle on roads.

Question 20

Brannen

Answer 20

Points out ethnic differences amongst children. Study of 15-16 year olds found that Asian parents were more likely than other parents to be strict towards their daughters

Question 21

Firestone and Holt

Answer 21

Firestone and Holt argue that adults use their power not for care and protection, but for oppression and control. Children are made dependent and powerless. They need to be freed!

Example’s of their control is control over their access to resources. e.g. limited opportunities to earn money, so they remain dependent. They are given pocket money. Also control through neglect and abuse

Question 22

Gittens (1998)

Answer 22

He suggested there is an age patriarchy of adult domination and child dependency; the term refers to inequalities between adults and children.

Power is still asserted through violence. Gittens suggests patriarchy oppresses children as well as women

Question 23

Hockey and James

Answer 23

Provided evidence for Gittens. They suggest the following strategies as ways of children resist opression.
‘acting up’ and ‘acting down’

‘acting up’ Resisting the status of a child and the restrictions applied to it by acting like adults - swearing, smoking ,

acting down - behaving like younger children, e.g. baby talking