Childhood - AQA A-Level Sociology

These flashcards cover the sociology of childhood, including its social construction, historical changes, theoretical perspectives like the 'march of progress' and 'conflict' views, and contemporary debates on its future.

What is meant by the 'social construction' of childhood?

Childhood is not a fixed or universal biological stage; it varies across cultures, time periods, and social contexts and is shaped by society rather than purely by biology.

According to Stephen Wagg ($1992$), why is childhood not universal?

In some cultures, childhood does not exist as a separate stage, and children are treated similarly to adults from a young age.

How does Pilcher ($1995$) describe the modern Western view of childhood?

Childhood is viewed as a distinct and separate stage from adulthood, characterized as a 'golden age' of happiness, innocence, and vulnerability.

What did Samantha Punch ($2001$) find regarding childhood responsibility in rural Bolivia?

Children as young as five are expected to contribute to work within the home and community.

How did Lowell Holmes ($1974$) characterize children's participation in tasks in a Samoan village?

Age was not seen as a barrier to participation; children were rarely excluded from work because they were considered 'too young'.

According to Firth ($1970$), how is obedience viewed among the Tikopia people of the western Pacific?

Obedience is earned rather than automatically granted based on age, and children are not expected to obey adults unquestioningly.

What was Philippe Ariès's argument regarding childhood between the $10th$ and $13th$ centuries?

The concept of childhood did not exist; once physically independent, children were treated as 'mini adults' with no legal or social distinctions from adults.

According to Shorter ($1975$), how did high infant mortality rates affect historical parental attitudes?

Parents often showed emotional detachment or neglect, sometimes naming a child after a deceased sibling or forgetting the number of children they had.

By which century did childhood begin to emerge as a distinct and protected phase of life?

The $17th$ century.

Name three legal acts in the UK that helped redefine the position of children in the $19th$ and $20th$ centuries.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Children Act ($1889$), The Children Act ($1989$), and the Children's Act ($2004$).

What international convention in $1989$ guaranteed children's rights to education, healthcare, and protection from abuse?

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child ($1989$).

Why does Postman ($1994$) argue that childhood is 'disappearing'?

The breakdown of the information hierarchy due to television and digital media allows children easy access to adult content, blurring the boundaries between childhood and adulthood.

How does Jenks ($2005$) disagree with Postman regarding the future of childhood?

Jenks argues childhood is not disappearing but changing; in an unstable postmodern society, children become a vital source of security and identity for adults, making them even more protected.

What is the 'march of progress' view of childhood?

The view that children's positions in Western societies have significantly improved, with children today being more nurtured, protected, and valued than in the past.

What term does Sue Palmer ($2007$) use to describe the harm caused by technological and cultural changes on children?

'Toxic childhood,' characterized byjunk food, long gaming hours, and aggressive marketing.

According to a UNICEF ($2025$) report, where did the UK rank out of $36$ for children's wellbeing?

$21st$.

How does the 'conflict view' challenge the march of progress perspective?

It argues that the idea of a happy, child-centred society is idealised and ignores structural inequalities linked to class, gender, and ethnicity.

What is 'bedroom culture' as described by McRobbie & Garber ($1976$)?

The process where boys are encouraged to go out while girls are socialised into staying indoors.

What term does Gittens ($1998$) use to describe adult domination over children?

Age patriarchy.

What are the four ways adults control children's lives according to Gittens?

Through control of space, time, bodies, and resources.

What is the core argument of the 'action approach' or personal life approach to childhood?

Childhood is not a single, uniform experience; children are active agents who shape their own lives and uniquely define their own relationships and family dynamics.

What did Mason and Tipper ($2008$) find regarding how children define family?

Children define family for themselves, often including people who are not biologically related, such as step-parents, friends, or pets.