Social Class and Parental Attitudes

What do sociologists mean by parental attitudes?:

• Norms and values of parents from different social classes

• Parental interest in their child’s education

• Parental support offered to children

• Parental knowledge of how children learn

Norms and values of parents:

Hyman (1967) and Sugarman (1970)- different attitudes of social classes

Middle-class attitudes:

• Optimism

• Deferred gratification

• Future orientation

• Individualism

Working-class attitudes:

• Fatalism

• Immediate gratification

• Present-time orientation

• Collective

Parental interest:

• Douglas (1964,1970)- most important factor was parent’s interest in their child’s education

• Middle-class parents are more invested in education and engaged with schools

• Early socialisation: more activities, more engagement from middle-class parents

Parental support:

• Feinstein (2003)- middle-class more supportive

• Middle class more engaged with subject choices and pushing for university

• More frequent visits to school

Parent’s knowledge of education:

• Middle-class parents more likely to have experienced education and understand sacrifices and benefits

• Evans (2007) Middle-class mothers have more knowledge about early years development

Evaluations:

1. Working-class parents provide a different, not inadequate form of socialisation

2. Working-class parents are interested but have barriers to getting involved

3. Working-class parents’ attitudes reflect the economic position