topic 3 - theories of childhood

Post on 14-Dec-2014

2.139 Views

Category:

Education

1 Downloads

Preview:

Click to see full reader

DESCRIPTION

Exploring different theories of childhood – from the foundational theories of behaviorism and socialization; to later developments like the social learning and interactionist perspectives; and finally to recent innovative theories & perspectives like interpretive reproduction, the ecological approach, and structural and critical perspectives. In each, we examine the social scientists and theorists behind the theory, its focus (either micro or macro, or the connections between them), its key thoughts about children, and some of the assumptions that underpin the theory.

TRANSCRIPT

TOPIC 4:

THEORIES OF CHILDHOOD

What are children learning and how do they learn?

When do children develop emotional capabilities similar to adults?

How do children process information?

How do childhood experiences affect personality development?

TRADITIONAL QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT Children

Born out of a discontent with the ways traditional academic perspectives saw children and treated childhood as

simply a step on the way to adulthood, the new sociology of children was established.

the New Sociology of Children

Introduced by sociologist Barrie Thorne,

Launched as an area of academic study by Gertrud Lenzer in 1991,

... And theoretically advanced by William Corsaro in the U.S. and Alan Prout and Alison James in the UK.

the New Sociology of Children

THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS

FOUNDED BY

B.F. Skinner(& Pavlov)

Psychological Theory

of BEHAVIORISM

Psychological Theory

of BEHAVIORISM

REINFORCEMENT& PUNISHMENT

ARE KEY in Learning

Psychological Theory

of BEHAVIORISM

Some Assumptions:#1. Child is Passive

#2. Adults Shape Children

#3. Development is Unilateral

Psychological Theory

of BEHAVIORISM

MICRO / IndividuaL

Psychological Theory

of BEHAVIORISM

Assumptions:

#1. Child is Passive

#2. Adults Shape Children

#3. Development is Unilateral

FOUNDED BY: B.F. Skinner

Reinforcement & PunishmentAre Key in Learning

FOCUS: Micro / Individual

Psychological Theory

of BEHAVIORISM

Functionalist ViewOF SOCIALIZATION THEORY

FOUNDED BY

Durkheim & Parsons

SOCIALIZATION IS VIEWED...

Older Generations PASS Culture Onto Younger Generations

Functionalist ViewOF SOCIALIZATION THEORY

Some Assumptions:#1. Child is passive

#2. Children must be shaped to fit in

#3. Cultural transmission insures survival

Functionalist ViewOF SOCIALIZATION THEORY

MACRO / SOCIETAL

Functionalist ViewOF SOCIALIZATION THEORY

Assumptions:

#1. Child is Passive

#2. Children must be shaped to fit in

#3. Cultural transmission

insures survival

FOUNDED BY: Durkheim, Parsons

FOCUS: Macro / Societal

OLDER GENERATION

PASSES CULTURE On To YOUNGER GENERATION

Functionalist ViewOF SOCIALIZATION THEORY

THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENTS

SOCIAL LEARNINGPERSPECTIVE

FOUNDED BY

Piaget & Vygotsky

(Neither)

Children...

Interpret, Organize, and Use

Information

From Their Environment

SOCIAL LEARNINGPERSPECTIVE

Some Assumptions:#1. Development occurs in discrete stages

#2. Child must accomplish one stage successfully before moving on to the next

SOCIAL LEARNINGPERSPECTIVE

MICRO / IndividuaL

SOCIAL LEARNINGPERSPECTIVE

Assumptions:

#1. Development occurs in discrete

stages

#2. Child must accomplish one

before moving on to the next

FOUNDED BY: Piaget, Vygotsky

FOCUS: Micro / Individual

Children Interpret, Organize and Use Information from their Environment

SOCIAL LEARNINGPERSPECTIVE

INTERACTIONISTPERSPECTIVE

FOUNDED BY GEORGE HERBERT MEAD

MICRO / IndividuaL

INTERACTIONISTPERSPECTIVE

Children Develop Identityin response to

interactions with others

INTERACTIONISTPERSPECTIVE

Some Assumptions:#1. Child is an active agent

#2. Identity is based on children’s perceptions of others’ perceptions of them

INTERACTIONISTPERSPECTIVE

Assumptions:

#1. Child is an active agent

#2. Identity is based on children’s

perceptions of others’ perceptions

of them

FOUNDED BY: Mead

FOCUS: Micro / Individual

Children Develop Identity in response

to Interactions with others

INTERACTIONISTPERSPECTIVE

THEORETICAL Innovations

Interpretive Reproduction

FOUNDED BY

William Corsaro

Children Negotiate, Share

and Create Culture with Adults

and Each Other

Interpretive Reproduction

Some Assumptions:#1. Children are active agents#2. Children are innovative and creative#2. Children influence adults in addition

to being influenced by them

Interpretive Reproduction

Micro-MaCRO Connections

Interpretive Reproduction

Assumptions:

#1. Children are active agents

#2. Children are innovative & creative

#2. Children influence adults and

vice versa

FOUNDED BY: Corsaro

FOCUS: Micro / Individual

Children Negotiate, Share, and Create

CulturE with Adults and Each Other

Interpretive Reproduction

Ecological Perspectives

FOUNDED BY

Urie Bronfenbrenner

Child Develops Competence

Within a

Social Network

Ecological Perspectives

Micro-MaCRO Connections

Ecological Perspectives

OVERLAPPINGSOCIAL CIRCLES

Some Assumptions:#1. Social systems overlap and interact#2. Interactions between systems shape

child outcomes#3. The goal for the child is competence

Ecological Perspectives

Assumptions:

#1. Social systems overlap and interact

#2. Interactions between systems

shape child outcomes

#2. The goal for the child is competence

FOUNDED BY: Bronfenbrenner

FOCUS: Micro/Macro

Ecological Perspectives

Child Develops CompetenceWithin a

Social Network

Structural Perspectives

FOUNDED BY JENS QVORTRUP

(NOT JENS QVORTRUP)

Childhood is a Permanent

Structural CategorySimilar to Social Class

Structural Perspectives

Some Assumptions:#1. Childhood constitutes a particular

social form#2. Children are exposed to the same

social forces as adults#3. Children actively construct society

Structural Perspectives

Micro-MaCRO Connections

Structural Perspectives

Assumptions:

#1. Social systems overlap and interact

#2. Interactions between systems

shape child outcomes

#2. The goal for the child is competence

FOUNDED BY: Qvortrup

FOCUS: Macro

Childhood is a Permanent Structural

CategorySimilar to Social Class

Structural Perspectives

CRITICAL Perspectives

FOUNDED BY BARRIE THORNE

and James & Prout

ChildrenRESIST domination, both actively and passively

CRITICAL Perspectives

Some Assumptions:#1. Children are active agents#2. Adults have more power than children

and use it to control and dominate them#3. Like other oppressed groups, children

will resist domination

CRITICAL Perspectives

Micro-MaCRO Connections

CRITICAL Perspectives

Assumptions:

#1. Children are active agents

#2. Adults have more power than children and use it to

control and dominate them

#2. Like other oppressed groups, children will resist

domination

FOUNDED BY: Thorne,

Prout & James

FOCUS: Micro-Macro

ChildrenRESIST domination, both actively & passively

CRITICAL Perspectives

Behaviorism

Socialization

Learning Theory

Interactionist

Interpretive Reproduction

Ecological

Structural

Critical

USING THEORETICAL APPROACHES

Which of these theories do you tend to use to explain children’s lives/childhood?

Sometimes two theories will give us two different

perspectives on an event or situation

Sometimes different theories will be compatible and will

expand our understanding of an event or situation

How do children theorize about their lives?

THE

MARSHMALLOW TEST

top related