Conventional Theorists
New Right and Functionalism
Childhood
Children under constant threat from adults and liberal ideas from adult society
Lack of physical punishment led to no respect for adults
Children have too much power
Media/peer groups sexualising children, Study – virginity lost 16-17, 1920s 18-20
Believe childhood becoming shorter
Melanie Phillips (1997):
Trends that undermine innocence of childhood
Concept of parenting distorted by liberal ideas, children’s rights undermine socialisation of healthy respect for parental authority
Media/peer group more influential than parents
Shortening of childhood results in social problems
Sue Palmer (2007):
"Toxic Childhood”
Parents use technology as alternatives to traditional parenting practices instead of spending time with them
Children deprived of traditional childhood and family life
Less able to learn/thrive socially/enjoy life
Neil Postman:
"The end of childhood”
Complete access to information
No longer able to rely on adult world, lose trust once access to information
Boundaries between childhood and adulthood blurring
Criticism:
Ideological bias
See children as too passive:
Interactionists – children not empty vessels
Children actively engage in family
Marrow (1998):
Children are constructive contributors to family life
Too generalised:
Different countries have different access to media - Africa there is no TV, can’t learn violence from it
May be different across religions – greater obligation to parents, less conflict
Different social classes experience differently – upper class, boarding school, working class difficult due to poverty
Boys and girls differently – boys masculine, girls stricter social controls
Lack of physical punishment led to no respect for adults
Children have too much power
Media/peer groups sexualising children, Study – virginity lost 16-17, 1920s 18-20
Believe childhood becoming shorter
Melanie Phillips (1997):
Trends that undermine innocence of childhood
Concept of parenting distorted by liberal ideas, children’s rights undermine socialisation of healthy respect for parental authority
Media/peer group more influential than parents
Shortening of childhood results in social problems
Sue Palmer (2007):
"Toxic Childhood”
Parents use technology as alternatives to traditional parenting practices instead of spending time with them
Children deprived of traditional childhood and family life
Less able to learn/thrive socially/enjoy life
Neil Postman:
"The end of childhood”
Complete access to information
No longer able to rely on adult world, lose trust once access to information
Boundaries between childhood and adulthood blurring
Criticism:
Ideological bias
See children as too passive:
Interactionists – children not empty vessels
Children actively engage in family
Marrow (1998):
Children are constructive contributors to family life
Too generalised:
Different countries have different access to media - Africa there is no TV, can’t learn violence from it
May be different across religions – greater obligation to parents, less conflict
Different social classes experience differently – upper class, boarding school, working class difficult due to poverty
Boys and girls differently – boys masculine, girls stricter social controls