Child-rearing has an impact in socio-economic and ethnic variations. According to Bee & Boyd (2007), “the Steinberg and Dornbusch sample experiment on child-rearing was large enough to allow them to do sub-groups of African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, and Caucasian Americans. The results of the study suggest both common processes and unique cultural variations. After examining a wide variety of aspects in cultural difference they conclude that an additional key element is the belief students and parents hold about the importance of education for later success in life. All four racial and ethnic groups studied share a belief that doing well in school will lead to better chances later, but the groups disagree on the consequences of doing poorly in school” (Bee & Boyd, p.373, 2007).
Bronfenbrenner, according to Bee & Boyd (2007), “is a developmental psychologist who developed a theory that is referred to as a bio-ecological approach off the basis that the family is the filter through which larger society influences child development. He attempted to explain how all of the various environmental influences on child development are related to one another.” An earlier study by Bronfenbrenner reported by Elder (1962) “shows that the differences in socio-economic and ethnic variations in several studies suggest that middle class parents, mothers in particular, are more inclined to handle their pre-school children permissively than are lower or working class parents. According to the authors of one of these studies, working class mothers were more punitive, restrictive, less permissive with respect to sex behavior, aggression, and dependence, and lower on warmth than were mothers of middle class status. It is concluded that lower class parents are more likely to be autocratic or authoritarian than middle class counterparts and the social class differences are least in the rearing of boys and greatest in the rearing of girls. Lower class parents are reported to be much more controlling in rearing of their daughters of junior high school age than are middle class parents” (Elder, 1962).
In conclusion, from what I have read, and the study results based on Bee & Boyd’s (2007) text, the parenting style that seems to have the overall best effect in terms of both behavior and academic performance would be the Authoritarian style. I thought it was interesting how a study done 50 years prior show’s differences in socio-economic class; however, recent studies show a merge of cultural perceptions with minor varying differences. This merge of cultural and socio-economic differences was not unforeseen in the study Bronfenbrenner conducted back in 1962. Elder (1962) mentions, “In concluding his review, Bronfenbrenner points out that, ‘in the past few years, there have been indications that the gap between the social classes may be narrowing’” (Elder, p. 7, 1962). What are you thoughts as to why this cultural merge of child-rearing may and/or may not be occurring?
Sources:
Bee, H., and Boyd, B. (2007). The Developing Child (11th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.
Elder Jr., G. (1962). Structural Variations in the Child Rearing Relationship. Sociometry, 25(3), 241-262. Retrieved from SocINDEX with Full Text database.
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