Childhood

• What is a social construct?

  Something created and defined by society.
• How does the concept of childhood differ across times, places, and cultures?

  What people mean by childhood varies significantly based on societal context.
• Why are children regarded as immature in modern western society?

  Because they lack the skills, knowledge, and experience to run their own lives.
• What does Pilcher (1995) identify as the most important feature of childhood?

  Separateness, indicating a clear and distinct life stage for children.
• In what ways is the separateness of childhood emphasized in society?

  Through laws, dress, products, and entertainment.
• How is childhood viewed in terms of happiness and innocence?

  Childhood is seen as a golden age of happiness and innocence.
• Why are children considered vulnerable in society?

  Because their innocence necessitates protection from adult dangers.
• How do adults typically protect children from the outside world?

  By providing for them and accompanying them in activities.
• Is the view of childhood as a golden age universal across all societies?

  No, this view is not found in all societies and is not universal.
• What do some sociologists argue about the globalisation of western childhood?

  They argue that western norms of childhood are being imposed globally.
• According to Benedict (1934), how are children treated in non-industrial societies?

  Children take on responsibilities at an early age.
• What does Firth's research indicate about obedience in non-industrial societies?

  Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority.
• How is children's sexual behavior viewed in some non-industrial societies according to Malinowski?

  It is often viewed with tolerance towards children's sexual explorations.
• What does Aries argue about the idea of childhood in the Middle Ages?

  He argues that the idea of childhood did not exist during that time.
• How were children treated in society after being weaned during the Middle Ages?


  They entered wider society on a similar basis as adults.
• What does Aries use to illustrate the lack of childhood in the Middle Ages?

  He uses works of art showing children without characteristics of childhood.
• What does Shorter argue about parental attitudes towards children in the past?

  High death rates encouraged neglect, especially towards infants.
• What elements of the modern notion of childhood began to emerge from the 13th century?

  Schools began to emerge to provide education for the young.
• How did the church influence the perception of children in the 13th century?

  It saw children as 'creatures of God' needing protection from worldly evils.
• What significant change occurred in the 17th century regarding children's clothing?

  A distinction between clothes portrayed a clear difference between children and adults.
• What was the significance of handbooks on child-rearing in the 18th century?

  They indicated a growing child-centeredness, mainly among the middle class.
• What laws contributed to the changing position of children in society?

  Laws restricting child labor and excluding children from paid work.
• How did compulsory schooling affect children's dependency on parents?

  It made children financially dependent on their parents who supported them.
• What does the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) establish?

  It lays down basic rights such as entitlement to healthcare, education, and protection from abuse.
• How did declining family size affect parental investment in children?

  Parents financially and emotionally invested more in their children with fewer children.
• What role did medical knowledge play in children's development from the 19th century?

  It stressed that children need supervision and protection.
• What laws reinforce the differences between children and adults?

  Laws that set minimum ages for activities like smoking, drinking, and sex.
• How did industrialization contribute to the modern idea of childhood?

  It created a need for skilled workers and changed the status of children.
• What is Pollock's criticism of Aries' view on childhood?

  Pollock argues that society had a different notion of childhood, not that it did not exist.
• What does Postman argue about the disappearance of childhood?

  He argues that childhood is disappearing at a dazzling speed.
• What trends does Postman point to regarding childhood?

  Giving children the same rights as adults and the disappearance of traditional games.
• How does television culture affect the information hierarchy according to Postman?

  It blurs the distinction between childhood and adulthood by making information accessible to all.
• What does Opie argue about childhood in relation to Postman's view?

  Opie argues that childhood is not disappearing and that a separate children's culture exists.
• How does Jenks view the changes in childhood in postmodernity?

  He believes childhood is changing, not disappearing, due to unstable relationships in society.
• What does Jenks suggest about adult relationships with children in postmodern society?

  They become more important as adults seek to protect children from perceived dangers.
• What is the march of progress view regarding childhood?

  It argues that the position of children in western societies has been improving over time.
• What do Aries and Shorter argue about the current position of children?

  They argue that children are now more valued, better cared for, and enjoy better health.
• How has the infant mortality rate changed from 1900 to today?

  It has decreased from 154 per 1,000 births to 4 per 1,000 births.
• What factors contribute to the child-centered family in modern society?

  Higher living standards and smaller family sizes allow for better provision for children's needs.
• What does Palmer argue about the impact of technological and cultural changes on children?

  She argues that these changes have damaged children's physical, emotional, and intellectual development.