107-112 Age and Family Life: The Social Construction of Childhood
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Questions and Answers

What does Archard argue about the concept of childhood?

  • Every human society has developed a similar concept of childhood.
  • The concept of childhood is a modern invention, not present in pre-industrial societies.
  • The concept of childhood is biologically determined and universal across societies.
  • Every human society has developed a concept of childhood, but the definitions differ. (correct)

    • What does the text suggest about the social construction of childhood?

  • Childhood is a universal concept, with the same meaning across all societies.
  • Childhood is socially constructed, rather than biologically determined. (correct)
  • Childhood is a modern concept, only relevant in post-industrial societies.
  • Childhood is a purely biological category, determined by physical development.

    • According to Philippe Ariès, when did the concept of 'childhood' as a distinctive phase emerge?

  • It emerged around three centuries ago, with the transition to industrial society. (correct)
  • It has always existed in human societies, since prehistoric times.
  • It emerged in the late 19th century, with the development of education systems.
  • It is a recent concept, emerging in the 20th century with the rise of child labor laws.

    • How did the role and social position of children change with the transition to industrial society?

    <p>Children were increasingly separated from adults, physically and culturally.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role did the development of education systems play in the changing concept of childhood?

    <p>It contributed to the separation of children from adults and peer socialization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the text characterize Ariès' claim about the idea of childhood in pre-industrial society?

    <p>As a controversial suggestion that challenged existing beliefs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Philippe Ariès contribute to the study of childhood?

    <p>By popularizing the idea that childhood is a social construction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Malinowski's study of the Trobriand Islanders reveal about child-parent relationships in pre-industrial tribal societies?

    <p>Children were encouraged to explore their sexuality openly.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do recent studies in South America, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa contribute to understanding child-parent relationships?

    <p>They demonstrate diverse child-parent relationships in different cultural contexts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Postman, what major reason contributes to the disappearance of childhood as traditionally understood?

    <p>Development of open admission technologies exposing children to adult content.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Sue Palmer describe the current state of childhood?

    <p>As toxic due to limitations in learning through play and exposure to various factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is generally represented as a social problem and burden in modern industrial societies?

    <p>Older people</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT mentioned as contributing to the reduction in status of older people in modern societies?

    <p>Increased life expectancy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Robertson (2001) suggest childhood has been impacted by societal changes?

    <p>Children are now primarily viewed as consumers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Hecht's study of Brazilian street children reveal about their relationship with their families?

    <p>Children maintain links with parents and wider family by helping provide for the family.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can companies do to help older workers reach the same skill levels as younger workers?

    <p>Provide training and invest in staff development</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Medieval paintings influence Philippe Ariès' perspective on childhood?

    <p>They depicted children as miniature adults, working and playing alongside adults.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way to reinvent the statuses of older people?

    <p>Providing universal basic income for older adults</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factor may contribute to older men having greater social status than older women?

    <p>Gender roles and societal expectations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes child-parent relationships in pre-industrial tribal societies from modern industrial societies according to Malinowski's findings?

    <p>Pre-industrial societies encouraged children's exploration of sexuality more openly.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what way does Sue Palmer argue that contemporary childhood is negatively impacted?

    <p>'Toxic' elements like lack of play opportunities, parental fears, and exposure to harmful influences are prevalent.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is becoming less significant in determining one's social age, according to the text?

    <p>Years of age</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements about advertisers targeting children's markets is true?

    <p>Advertisers target children's markets in increasingly sophisticated ways, leading to a 'consumption culture'.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the postmodern view mentioned in the text, how do children shape the products they consume?

    <p>Children develop relatively sophisticated childhood cultures and shape the products they consume.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the text suggest about the experience of being a teenager in industrial societies?

    <p>The stresses and tensions of being a teenager are cultural in origin, arising from a long transition from childhood to adulthood.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one consequence of increased life expectancy and lower birth rates in many industrial societies?

    <p>An ageing population with more older people relying on economically active adults.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of families in the UK depend on grandparents for childcare?

    <p>Around 30% of UK families, and nearly 50% of lone-parent families.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT given as a reason for grandparents providing childcare in many families?

    <p>The decrease in the number of extended families.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the contribution of grandparents NOT restricted to?

    <p>All of the above are mentioned as contributions of grandparents.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one way in which family roles and responsibilities are changing in post-industrial societies?

    <p>Children are increasingly returning to the family home as adults to provide care for their parents.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has led to modifications in family structures, as argued by Smallwood and Wilson (2007)?

    <p>The role of grandparents in providing childcare.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the 'pivot generation' or 'sandwich generation' referring to?

    <p>Adults who are caring for both their dependent children and their parents.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one reason why old age is often seen as a diminished identity in Western industrial societies?

    <p>Older people are seen as less useful and powerful than young and middle-aged adults.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors is suggested to enhance the status of older people in a society?

    <p>The society values the knowledge and skills possessed by older people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one factor that contributes to the reinvention and breaking up of elderly identities?

    <p>Higher life expectancy and more wealthy lifestyles.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of the passage, what is a gerontocracy?

    <p>A society where older people are social leaders because of their age.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one factor that contributes to the higher status of older people in some Native American cultures?

    <p>The value placed on the leadership skills and knowledge of the community's past possessed by older males.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one factor that contributes to the higher status of older people in some societies?

    <p>Both a and c.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one factor that can contribute to the lower status of older people in nomadic societies?

    <p>The inability of older people to easily follow the nomadic lifestyle.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one way in which different societies interpret the meaning and significance of old age?

    <p>Through the interpretation of social life events, such as compulsory retirement in industrial societies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one factor that contributes to the higher status of older people in some societies?

    <p>The value placed on the knowledge and skills of older people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the passage, what is one way in which cultural attitudes to life after death (the afterlife) can influence the status of older people?

    <p>In some societies, old age is valued because older people are seen as closer to death and the spiritual afterlife.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    The Social Construction of Childhood

    • Childhood is socially constructed, meaning that its meaning and definition vary across societies and cultures.
    • Philippe Ariès argues that childhood as a distinctive phase in social development only came into existence around three centuries ago.
    • In pre-industrial society, children lived and worked alongside their parents, but the development of industrial society saw a gradual physical and cultural separation between children and adults.

    Cross-Cultural Dimension

    • The cross-cultural dimension highlights the diversity of childhood experiences across societies.
    • Malinowski's (1922) study of the Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea found that pre-industrial tribal societies differed from industrial societies in several ways, including:
      • Children were given more responsibility and rights.
      • Adult-child relationships were closer, less strict, and more supportive.
      • Children were encouraged to explore their sexuality.

    Age and Family Life

    • The social construction of age and family life varies across societies and cultures.
    • Older people are represented as social problems and a burden on others in modern industrial societies.
    • Retirement from work can be a significant rite of passage marking a diminished identity.

    Grandparents and Family Structure

    • In many modern industrial societies, grandparents are becoming an increasingly valuable family resource, particularly in childcare.
    • Research in the UK has found that around 30% of UK families depend on grandparents for childcare, increasing to nearly 50% in lone-parent families.
    • Grandparents also provide financial support for their grandchildren and are important for sociability and emotional support.

    Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Aging

    • Cross-cultural comparisons of aging show differences between societies, with traditional societies often valuing older people for their knowledge and experience.
    • In modern societies like the UK and USA, old age is often seen as a diminished identity, characterized by a loss of status.
    • Higher life expectancy and more wealthy lifestyles have contributed to the reinvention and breaking up of elderly identities.

    The Status of Older People

    • The status of older people depends on factors such as social organization, control of social resources, and cultural attitudes to life after death.
    • In some societies, older people are valued for their skills of leadership and intimate knowledge of the community's history and ceremony.
    • The key to social status is control over valued social and economic resources.

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    Description

    Explore the concept of childhood as a social construction, and the changes in the role and social position of children within the family. Archard (2004) discusses how societies differ in their definitions of childhood, highlighting that childhood is socially constructed.

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