Childhood - Sociologists

Childhood - for the 2015 AQA Specification.

This set of flashcards is for the sociologists. Theory is in a different set.

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  • Created by: shyde7
  • Created on: 20-04-16 12:34
Pilcher (1995)
The most important feature of childhood is separateness. Childhood is a clear and distinct stage and children occupy a different status in society than adults.
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Wagg (1992)
Childhood is a social construction. It is what members of particular societies, at particular times and in particular places, say it is. There is no single universal childhood.
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Punch (2001)
Study of childhood in rural Bolivia. Once children are about five, they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home and community.
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Holmes (1974)
Study of a Samoan village. 'Too young' is never a valid reason for a child to not do a task. If a child thinks he can handle an activity parents do not object.
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Firth (1970)
Tikopia in the western Pacific. Doing as you're told is regarded as a concession to be granted by the child, not a right expected by the adult.
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Malinowski (1957)
Trobriand islanders of the south-west Pacific. Adults took an attitude of tolerance and amused interest towards children's sexual explorations and activities.
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Aries (1960) - The Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages the idea of childhood did not exist. Children were not seen as different from adults once they had passed a stage of physical dependency. Began work and seen as 'mini adults'. Law made no distinction between the two.
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Aries (1960) - The Middle Ages evidence used.
Used world of art. Children appear without any of the characteristics of childhood - they have been depicted on a smaller scale.
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Shorter (1975)
High death rates encouraged indifference and neglect, especially towards infants.
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Aries (1960) - Modern Cult of Childhood
We have moved from a world that did not have childhood to one that is obsessed. The 20th Century is the 'Century of the child'.
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Postman (1994) - Childhood is disappearing
Childhood is disappearing at an alarming rate. Children have the same rights as adults, the disappearance of supervised games and the similarity in children and adults clothing. The cause of this was the rise and fall of print culture and television
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Postman (1994) - The information hierarchy
In the Middle Ages there was no distinction between what adults and children has access to as most people were illiterate. When printing was invented, reading was the main way to convey information, and as children cannot read they had limited access
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Postman (1994) - The Information Hierarchy continued.
Television has now weakened that barrier between what the information that adults and children can hear. TV doesn't require special skills to access mature information and therefore the innocence of childhood is replaced by knowledge and cynicism.
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Opie (1993) - Postman criticism
Strong evidence for a continued separate children's culture. Postman's study is valuable in showing how communication technology can influence the way childhood is constructed, however he over-emphasises a single cause at the expense of other factors
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Jenks (2005) - Post-modernity
Childhood is changing -created in modern society but to prepare children for adulthood and the future. Children need to be controlled/disciplined by a child-centred family and by education.
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Jenks (2005) - The changing nature of society and post-modernity
As society changes, relationships become more unstable. This generates insecurity and relationships with children become more important because they are a source of stability. This means parents become obsessed with their children's security.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Childhood is a social construction. It is what members of particular societies, at particular times and in particular places, say it is. There is no single universal childhood.

Back

Wagg (1992)

Card 3

Front

Study of childhood in rural Bolivia. Once children are about five, they are expected to take work responsibilities in the home and community.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Study of a Samoan village. 'Too young' is never a valid reason for a child to not do a task. If a child thinks he can handle an activity parents do not object.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Tikopia in the western Pacific. Doing as you're told is regarded as a concession to be granted by the child, not a right expected by the adult.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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