Childhood as a Social Construct

Cards (24)

  • Social Construction
    Sociologists see childhood as socially constructed; something created and defined by childhood, and the position that children occupy in society- its not fixed, and differs between different times, places and cultures. This can be seen through comparing the Western idea of childhood today, with ideas of childhood in the past and other societies.
  • The Modern Western Notion of Childhood
    It is generally accepted that childhood is a special time of life in which children and adults are fundamentally different. Children are seen as physically and psychologically immature, and unable to run their own lives. There is a belief that they lack skills, knowledge and experiences so require a period of nurturing and socialisation before they are ready for adult society and responsibilities.
  • The Modern Western Notion of Childhood
    Pilcher: notes that the most important feature of our modern idea of childhood is separateness; clear and distinct as children occupy a separate status from adults. This is emphasised by: rules regulating what children are allowed/required/forbidden to do; their difference from adults can be seen in their dress sense, the products and services they consume (toys, food, books, etc.).
  • The Modern Western Notion of Childhood
    In relation to separateness, it is the idea of childhood as a 'Golden Age' of happiness and innocence. Though this means that children are seen as vulnerable and require protection from the dangers of the adult world. Meaning their lives are lived largely in the sphere of the family and education, adults can then provide and protect them from the outside world. They live lives of leisure and are largely excluded from paid work.
  • The Modern Western Notion of Childhood
    This view of childhood as a separate age-status isn't found in all societies; it isn't universal. Waggs: there is no single universal childhood experienced by all; so childhood isn't 'natural' and shouldn't be distinguished by biological immaturity. Meaning that while all humans go through the same stages of physical development, different cultures define this process differently. Other cultures don't see children as vulnerable or separated.
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood
    A way to illustrate the social construction of childhood is to take a comparative approach. Anthropologist Benedict argues that children in simpler, non-industrial societies are generally treated differently from their modern western counterparts in three ways: taking responsibility at an earlier age, less value is placed on obedience to adult authority, and children's sexual behaviour is viewed differently.
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood
    They take responsibility at an earlier age: Punch's study of childhood in rural Bolivia found that once children were 5 they were expected to take work responsibilities in the home and the community. Tasks were taken on without question or hesitation. Holmes' study of a Samoan village found that 'too young' was never given as a reason for a child to not undertake a particular task- the parents didn't object to their child completing dangerous tasks.
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood
    Less value is placed on children showing obedience to adult authority: For example, Firth found that among the Tikopia of western Pacific, children only did as they were told if they wanted to, it wasn't automatic- it wasn't a right to be expected by the adult.
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood
    Children's sexual behaviour is often viewed differently: For example, among the Trobriand Islanders of the south-west Pacific, Malinowski found that adults took an attitude of 'tolerance and amused interest' towards children's sexual explorations and activities- they didn't prevent them or shield them in any way.
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Childhood
    Benedict argues that in many non-industrial cultures, there is much less of a dividing line between the behaviour expected from children and adults. Such evidence illustrates the key idea that childhood isn't a fixed thing found universally in the same form in all human societies, but is socially constructed so differs from culture to culture.
  • The Globalisation of Western Childhood
    International humanitarian and welfare agencies have exported and imposed on the rest of the world, spreading the western norms of what childhood should be- a separate life stage, based in the nuclear family and school- in which children are innocent, dependent and vulnerable- having no economic role. E.g. campaigners against child labour or concerns about 'street children' reflect western views of what childhood should be like. However, arguably such campaigns have little impact on the position of children in developing countries.
  • Historical Differences
    Aries: argues in the Middle Ages (10th to 13th Century), the 'idea of childhood did not exist'. They weren't seen as having different 'nature' or needs from adults once they had passed the stage of physical dependency during infancy. After being weaned, children entered wider society on the same term as adults (working from early age), they were 'mini-adults' with the same rights, duties and skills- the law made no distinction between children and adults, meaning children often faced the same severe punishments as those given to adults.
  • Historical Differences
    Parental attitudes towards children in the Middle Ages were different to those from today. Shorter argues that high death rates encouraged indifference and neglect, especially towards infants. For example, it wasn't uncommon for parents to give a newborn baby the name of a recently dead sibling, refer to the baby as 'it', or to forget how many children they had had.
  • The Modern Cult of Childhood
    Aries claims elements of modern notion of childhood gradually began to emerge from the 13th century onwards. Schools (which adults had previously attended) began to specialise in the education of the young- reflecting an influence of the church who see children as fragile 'creatures of God' in need of discipline and protection from worldly evils. By 18th Century, handbooks on childbearing were widely available- demonstrating the growing child-centredness of family life, at least among the middle classes.
  • Defining the Modern Cult of Childhood
    According to Aries, these developments (schools specialising in the education of the young, and widely available childbearing handbooks), it culminates the modern 'cult of childhood'. Arguing that we have moved away from a world which doesn't see childhood as special, to a world which is obsessed by childhood. Describing the 20th Century as 'the century of the child'.
  • The Modern Cult of Childhood, Criticism
    Some sociologists have criticised Aries for arguing that childhood didn't exist in the past. Pollock argues that it is more correct to say that in the Middle Ages, society simply had a different notion of what childhood is than today's. However, Aries' work is valuable because it shows how childhood is socially constructed: demonstrating how ideas about children and their social status have varied over time.
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    Laws restricting child labour and excluding children from paid work- from being economic assets who could earn a wage, children became an economic liability- financially dependent on their parents.
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    The introduction of compulsory schooling- in 1880, meant that children of lower classes could access education. This has then increased the school-leaving age which has extended this period of dependency.
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    Child protection and welfare legislation- such as the 1889 Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act. A century later, the 1989 Children Act made the welfare of a child the fundamental principle underpinning the work of agencies such as social services.
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    The growth of the idea of children's rights- for example, the Children Act defines parents as having 'responsibilities' rather than 'rights' in relation to children. While the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (1989) lays down basic rights such as entitlement to healthcare and education, protection from abuse, and the right to participate in decisions that impact them (like custody cases).
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    Declining family size and lower infant morality rates- have encouraged parents to make a greater financial and emotional investment in the fewer children they now have.
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    Children's development became the subject of medical knowledge- Donzelot observes how theories of child development that began to appear from the 19th Century stressed that children need supervision and protection.
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    Laws and policies that apply specifically to children- such as minimum ages for a wide range of activities, from sex to smoking. This has reinforced the idea that children are different from adults and so different rules must be applied to their behaviour.
  • Reasons for the Change in Position of Children
    Industrialisation- shift from agriculture to factory production as the basis of the economy has meant that the modern industry requires an educated workforce. This requires compulsory schooling of the young. Similarly, higher standards of living and better welfare provision has lead to lower infant morality rates. Industrialisation has then been a key factor in bringing about the modern idea of childhood, and their changed status.