Differences in childhood experiences in the UK by social class, gender and ethnicity
- Created by: Kaitlint11
- Created on: 08-03-23 20:42
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- Differences in childhood experiences in the UK by social class, gender and ethnicity
- Gender
- boys & girls are socialised into a set of behaviours based on cultural expectations about masculinity & femininity
- different bedroom decor, toys, chores, interaction with parents, nature of play activities
- girls (G) socialisation designed to teach feminine skills & attitudes needed to perform adult role of home maker & mother
- G childhood differs as parents see them in need of greater protection from outside world
- =stricter social controls, spend more time in family home
- boys (B) experience = 'toning down emotionality and familial intimacy' to acquire masculine skills & attitudes as breadwinner
- B rarely seen to be in need of protection from external threats, spend a lot of childhood outside home
- McHale et al.'s study (20003) found families with limited budgets more likely to invest in activities enhancing development for sons
- Social Class
- Upper-Class (U) children may spend most of childhood in private boarding schools
- Middle-Class (M) children may be encouraged to aim for uni and a professional career
- M likely to receive considerable economic and cultural support from parents
- research by Lareau (2011) found M parents to enrol range of cultural, artistic & sporting activities.
- also encouraged to join libraries and taken on visits to museums & art galleries
- Lareau (2011) found W parents emphasised natural growth. As long as children provided with love, food & safety, would grow up to be healthy & well rounded
- Donzelot (1979) argues poor families more likely to be controlled & regulated by state
- Working class (W) childhood may be more difficult due to poverty.
- W from low income families don't experience activities & events others take for granted (holidays, school trips, friends round)
- Poverty increases chance of illness during childhood & children likely to fall behind M children at school
- Ethnicity
- Muslim (M), Hindu & Sikh children feel stronger sense of obligation and duty to their parents than W children
- Qur'an. Shaw (2000) found young M internalised islamic values & family traditions
- female children treated in more traditional ways than brothers
- generational conflict between Asian parents & children exists especially over fashion, dating & marriage
- likely racism has effects on childhood of ethnic-minority children
- asian girls often not allowed out compared to young asian males as parents believe more vulnerable to racist attacks and abuse
- Gender
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