Socialization: FamilySocialization: Family

Chapter 15Chapter 15

The family is a The family is a social systemsocial system – – networks of networks of reciprocal relationshipsreciprocal relationships that are constantly evolvingthat are constantly evolving– Direct effectsDirect effects– Indirect effectsIndirect effects

Parent effects modelParent effects model

Child effects modelChild effects model

Transactional modelTransactional model

Parenting StylesParenting Styles

BaumrindBaumrind– Dimensions of parenting:Dimensions of parenting:

Acceptance/responsivenessAcceptance/responsiveness Demandingness/controlDemandingness/control

• Figure 15.2 Two major dimensions of parenting. When we cross the two

dimensions, we come up with four parenting styles. BASED ON MACCOBY & MARTIN, 1983.

Child-rearing pattern Preschool Outcomes

Authoritative Cheerful, socially responsible, self-reliant, achievement oriented, cooperative

Authoritarian Moody, unhappy, easily annoyed, unfriendly, aimless, not pleasant to be around

Permissive

Impulsive and aggressive, bossy, self-centered, lacked self-control, low in independence and achievement

Indulgent None in study…

Outcomes

Child-rearing pattern

Childhood Adolescence

Authoritative High cognitive and social competencies

High self-esteem, excellent social skills, strong moral/prosocial concern, high academic achievement

Authoritarian Average cognitive and social competencies

Average academic performance and social skills; more conforming than adolescents of permissive parents

Permissive Low cognitive and social competencies

Poor self-control and academic performance; more drug use than adolescents of authoritative or authoritarian parents

Child-Rearing Patterns and Child-Rearing Patterns and AdolescenceAdolescence

Lamborn, Mounts, Steinberg, and Lamborn, Mounts, Steinberg, and Dornbusch (1991) Dornbusch (1991)

– measures of psychosocial competence measures of psychosocial competence and psychological and behavioral and psychological and behavioral dysfunctiondysfunction

A parent takes a child to a shoe store A parent takes a child to a shoe store and the parent selects three pairs of and the parent selects three pairs of shoes that are acceptable to the parent shoes that are acceptable to the parent in price and type. The child is told, in price and type. The child is told, “You may decide which you would like. “You may decide which you would like. This is what we can afford and I think This is what we can afford and I think these are suitable styles and quality.” these are suitable styles and quality.” (Think about what impact this parenting (Think about what impact this parenting style might have on the child’s eventual style might have on the child’s eventual ability to pick out shoes on his/her ability to pick out shoes on his/her own.)own.)

A parent takes a child to a shoe store A parent takes a child to a shoe store and says, “What do you like?” The and says, “What do you like?” The child selects a pair that costs more child selects a pair that costs more than the parent can afford or that is than the parent can afford or that is not a suitable type of shoe in the not a suitable type of shoe in the parent’s judgment. The parent says, parent’s judgment. The parent says, “No, I can’t buy that pair.” The child “No, I can’t buy that pair.” The child whines and fusses until the parent whines and fusses until the parent gives in.gives in.

A parent takes a child to a shoe store A parent takes a child to a shoe store and tells the salesperson, “We’ll try on and tells the salesperson, “We’ll try on those.” The child is given no say and those.” The child is given no say and ends up with a pair of shoes that s/he ends up with a pair of shoes that s/he hates. The child feels disrespected. hates. The child feels disrespected. (“No one asked me what (“No one asked me what II wanted.”) wanted.”) The child says nothing out of fear of The child says nothing out of fear of parental love-withdrawal (parent pouts parental love-withdrawal (parent pouts and gives child silent treatment) or and gives child silent treatment) or fear of harsh reaction (parent says, fear of harsh reaction (parent says, “You are just a spoiled brat; you don’t “You are just a spoiled brat; you don’t appreciate anything I do for you!” or appreciate anything I do for you!” or parent slaps or spanks child for parent slaps or spanks child for complaining).complaining).

Appropriate behavior needs:Appropriate behavior needs:– ComplianceCompliance– Internalization of standardsInternalization of standards

Effects of ProhibitionsEffects of Prohibitions

CarlsmithCarlsmith– Kindergarteners rank toys on Kindergarteners rank toys on

attractivenessattractiveness– E leaves, told not to playE leaves, told not to play– Mild vs. severe threatMild vs. severe threat– Temptation periodTemptation period– Preference for toys assessedPreference for toys assessed

Effects of ProhibitionsEffects of Prohibitions

Are they using this time to reflect Are they using this time to reflect on their behavior and attribute it on their behavior and attribute it internally or externally?internally or externally?

What if children are told that all What if children are told that all other children had obeyed E?other children had obeyed E?

If given before the temptation If given before the temptation period, what would you expect?period, what would you expect?

If given after the temptation period, If given after the temptation period, what would you expect?what would you expect?

Effects of RewardsEffects of Rewards magic markers and paper set up on a magic markers and paper set up on a

table in a preschool classroomtable in a preschool classroom children who drew with them during free children who drew with them during free

time were later taken to another room time were later taken to another room and asked to draw againand asked to draw again

3 conditions:3 conditions:– expected rewardexpected reward– unexpected rewardunexpected reward– no rewardno reward

2 weeks later markers returned to table 2 weeks later markers returned to table in classroomin classroom

Minimum Sufficiency Minimum Sufficiency PrinciplePrinciple

it’s important to produce complianceit’s important to produce compliance failure to gain compliance reduces failure to gain compliance reduces

likelihood of future compliancelikelihood of future compliance must exert enough control to gain must exert enough control to gain

compliancecompliance control is subtle enough to not be control is subtle enough to not be

perceived as sole reason for perceived as sole reason for compliancecompliance

Behavioral vs. Psychological Behavioral vs. Psychological ControlControl

Behavioral controlBehavioral control– regulating conduct through firm but regulating conduct through firm but

reasonable discipline and monitoring reasonable discipline and monitoring activitiesactivities

Psychological controlPsychological control– attempts to influence a child/adolescent’s attempts to influence a child/adolescent’s

behavior by psychological means behavior by psychological means – Separation anxiousSeparation anxious– Achievement oriented Achievement oriented

Social Class DifferencesSocial Class Differences

Low SES parents compared to middle Low SES parents compared to middle SES parentsSES parents– stress obedience and respect for stress obedience and respect for

authorityauthority– more restrictive and authoritarianmore restrictive and authoritarian– more likely to use power-assertive more likely to use power-assertive

disciplinediscipline– less likely to show warmth and affection less likely to show warmth and affection

Explanations for SES Explanations for SES DifferencesDifferences

More stressMore stress Work-role requires deference to Work-role requires deference to

authorityauthority

Sibling RelationshipsSibling Relationships

80% of Americans grow up with at 80% of Americans grow up with at least one siblingleast one sibling

Drop on maternal involvement with Drop on maternal involvement with older child with birth of babyolder child with birth of baby

Older sibs become more domineering, Older sibs become more domineering, aggressive, and also more likely to aggressive, and also more likely to initiate helpful, playful, and other initiate helpful, playful, and other prosocial behaviorsprosocial behaviors

Younger sibs become more compliantYounger sibs become more compliant

Sibling RelationshipsSibling Relationships

Sibling Relationships During Middle Sibling Relationships During Middle Childhood and AdolescenceChildhood and Adolescence– during middle childhood during middle childhood increase in increase in

conflictconflict– continue to rely on each other for continue to rely on each other for

companionship, emotional support, and companionship, emotional support, and assistance with everyday tasksassistance with everyday tasks

Sibling RelationshipsSibling Relationships

Parents harmony mattersParents harmony matters Parental monitoring mattersParental monitoring matters Sibling relationships are better if Sibling relationships are better if

parents respond warmly and parents respond warmly and sensitively to sensitively to allall children children

Sibling RelationshipsSibling Relationships

Siblings provide emotional supportSiblings provide emotional support Siblings can be models and teachersSiblings can be models and teachers

Children in one-child families Children in one-child families well- well-adjusted and socially competentadjusted and socially competent

May even be more obedient and May even be more obedient and slightly more intellectually slightly more intellectually competentcompetent

Adoptive FamiliesAdoptive Families

Sensitivity associated with secure Sensitivity associated with secure attachmentattachment

Can bring issues related to insecure Can bring issues related to insecure attachments from previous homes…attachments from previous homes…

Unresolved curiosity about rootsUnresolved curiosity about roots Transracial or transcultural adoption Transracial or transcultural adoption

identities are healthy blends identities are healthy blends Move towards open adoptionsMove towards open adoptions

Donor Insemination FamiliesDonor Insemination Families

Infertile couples/single womenInfertile couples/single women ConcernsConcerns Golombok’s 12-year longitudinal Golombok’s 12-year longitudinal

studystudy

• Figure 15.4 Sexual orientation of adult children raised by lesbian mothers, gay fathers, and single-parent heterosexual mothers. (Notice that children with homosexual parents are just as likely to display a heterosexual orientation as children raised by heterosexuals. ADAPTED FROM BAILEY ET AL., 1995; GOLOMBOK & TASSER, 1996.

Family Conflict and DivorceFamily Conflict and Divorce

40-50% of marriages end in divorce40-50% of marriages end in divorce More than half of children will spend More than half of children will spend

time in a single-parent hometime in a single-parent home Not a singular life eventNot a singular life event

– Often begins with marital conflictOften begins with marital conflict– Includes many life changesIncludes many life changes

Family Conflict and DivorceFamily Conflict and Divorce

Period prior to divorce often includes Period prior to divorce often includes a rise in family conflicta rise in family conflict

Regular exposure to marital discord Regular exposure to marital discord contributes to adjustment problems, contributes to adjustment problems, including anxiety, depression, and including anxiety, depression, and externalizing disordersexternalizing disorders

Direct and indirect effectsDirect and indirect effects

DivorceDivorce

Families often disrupted for a year or Families often disrupted for a year or more after divorcemore after divorce

Friends/financial situation may Friends/financial situation may changechange

Mothers may be overwhelmed with Mothers may be overwhelmed with new responsibilitiesnew responsibilities

DivorceDivorce

Period immediately following divorce Period immediately following divorce associated with more negative associated with more negative outcomesoutcomes

– high level of conflict during that timehigh level of conflict during that time– adverse economic conditionsadverse economic conditions– stresses resulting from mother having to stresses resulting from mother having to

start work or increase hoursstart work or increase hours– compound effects of the father leaving and compound effects of the father leaving and

the mother being physically and the mother being physically and emotionally less available to the childemotionally less available to the child

– child often temporarily “loses” both parentschild often temporarily “loses” both parents

DivorceDivorce Children’s initial reactions vary as a Children’s initial reactions vary as a

function of gender and agefunction of gender and age– Preschool/early grade school Preschool/early grade school – Preteen/early teensPreteen/early teens– AdolescentsAdolescents

DivorceDivorce

Long Term Reactions to DivorceLong Term Reactions to Divorce Better for a child to be in a Better for a child to be in a stablestable

single-parent home than a conflict-single-parent home than a conflict-ridden two-parent homeridden two-parent home

Not all divorcing families experience Not all divorcing families experience all of the difficulties mentioned all of the difficulties mentioned previouslypreviously

DivorceDivorce

Longitudinal data from the large-Longitudinal data from the large-scale longitudinal National Survey of scale longitudinal National Survey of Children:Children:– poor relationships with their fathers and poor relationships with their fathers and

mothersmothers– dropping out of high schooldropping out of high school– repeating a graderepeating a grade– being in the lower half of classbeing in the lower half of class– receiving psychological help receiving psychological help