How influential are parents' child-rearing styles on the development of their children?

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Social and Personality Psychology

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TITLE: How influential are parents' child-rearing styles on the development of their children?


How influential are parents' child-rearing styles on the development of their children?

Socialisation is the "process whereby an individual acquires the knowledge, values, facility with language, social skills and social sensitivity that enable him or her to become integrated into and behave adaptively within a society" (Reber and Reber 2001, p. 689). The family is considered the most important structure for socialisation of children allowing them to mature intellectually, socially, emotionally and psychologically (Bonfenbrenner, cited in Smith, 1998). Therefore parents are very important in the development of children's personality characteristics. Research by Maccoby and Martin (1983, cited in Hall, 1986) suggests that most parents child-rearing styles can be classified by how responsive and demanding they are. Baumrind (1968, 1972, cited in Berk, 2000) said this leads to four types of parenting: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved. This essay is going to discuss the different styles of parenting which seem to have an effect on boys and girls development of personality characteristics. The effects can be seen in pre-school children through to adolescence and most probably adulthood. However there are a number of methodological problems with the research which mean it is very difficult to make cause-and-effect statements.

The parenting style that is highly demanding but not responsive is called an authoritarian pattern. The child must have great respect for authority and not question what the parents standards of right and wrong. Adults treat children as to what they think children are like, if they believe children are full of dark-urges they are likely to use an authoritarian style (Hall 1986). These parents have little give-and-take, and may resort to force and punishment to ensure the child conforms to many rules, but give no explanation as to why the child is being punished (Berk, 2000). Working-class parents tend to stress the importance of controls from the outside, therefore the child must obey authority. Parents who are demanding and highly responsive are called authoritative parents. The parents provide good guidance through verbal give-and-take, and use a rational democratic approach (Berk, 2000). They are usually warm and affectionate, maintaining power whilst listening to the child's needs. The enforced rules are explained to the child, who is encouraged to be independent (Gleitman, 1999). Middle-class parents often use an authoritative style as they focus on the importance of happiness and self-control, they can afford to provide the child with many more life experiences, such as toys and outings (Berk 2000). Lafore (1945, cited in Jersild, 1968) found that no parent uses one single parenting style all the time, but there is usually one which is predominant.

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Permissive parents are responsive but undemanding, accept most behaviours and make few demands for household responsibility and orderly behaviour. The child is not encouraged to obey externally defined standards and is rarely punished (Hall, 1986). These children have to make their own decisions although they are not ready to do so, and are not taught good manners. Sears (1957, cited in Jersild, 1968) found that a permissive mother was not necessarily warm and friendly. Maccoby and Martin (1983, cited in Berk, 2000) classified a forth child rearing style called uninvolved, the parents are undemanding and unresponsive, often emotionally detached. These ...

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