Impact of Family Factors Shaping Children`s

Behaviour
Abstract

Background
The study focuses on the impact of family factors on the behaviour of children. Family
factors such as culture, religion, belief, behavioural patterns of family members etc play a
vital role in psychological, emotional, social and physical development of children. The
family provides emotional support to an individual as well as plays a major role in the
formation of one's personality. The quality and nature of the parental nurturance that the
children receive will profoundly influence their future development well-being. The
knowledge of these factors associated with children’s behaviour may be helpful to
identify children at risk.

Aims and Objectives

To study the impact of family factors on the children’s behaviour

Setting
An urban area in the city of Kolkata

Methodology
Literature review, interview and questionnaire

Keywords: Culture, religion, belief, behavioural pattern

Introduction
During the lifespan, an individual passes through several stages of development
characterized by different processes. These phases of the evolution are critical for the
formation of a person and his/her becoming a personality with all qualities needed for the
efficient functioning within the contemporary society. The period of childhood is one of
these stages.

It plays a critical role in the evolution of an individual as he/she acquires fundamental

concepts needed to interact with other members of the community, learns how to cognize
the world, forms his/her set of values, perspectives on particular notions, and ways to
respond to multiple events.
At the same time, children’s immaturity and the lack of knowledge about the environment
results in their vulnerability to multiple impacts both from family members and from other
people.

That is why the investigation of all factors that might have diverse effects on children is
critical for the comprehension of the central peculiarities of this stage and reduction of risk
factors. Thus, the understanding of childhood’s basic features and factors shaping people’s
worldviews is critical for childhood studies, psychologists, and sociologists.

The given thesis preconditions the choice of particular methods and research questions. In
the course of the investigation, I will determine a critical role the family plays in the
formation of children mentalities, and that it impacts their readiness to engage in sound
relations and create families.

The study will also set the ground for the future research that will be focused on the further
investigation of the concept of childhood and how it is affected by the family.

Research Question
The given project is focused on the critical analysis of the concept and the in-depth
investigation of factors and contexts that arise in families and affect children at different
stages of their development. In this regard, the following research question is formulated:

Do culture, religion, and behavioural patterns peculiar to a certain household impact the
formation of a child’s mentality, the emergence of particular habits and attitudes towards
family in the context of gradual decrease of family institutions’ significance?

The use of this research question preconditions the introduction of the following
objectives:

• understand the concepts of children and childhood from socio-cultural, and

psychological perspectives
• identify contextual factors that shape childhood experience concerning the family
environment

The given research question and objectives will contribute to the comprehensive
investigation of the concept of childhood and improved understanding that what role the
institution of the family plays in the formation of habits and attitudes to relations and
interactions with other people. Moreover, the suggested aspects will help to improve
knowledge regarding childhood and contextual factors that might impact it.
Research Methodology
The formulated objectives also impact research process and methods used to delve into the
issue and analyse all critical elements.

First of all, the literature review should be performed. It is a fundamental aspect of the
given project as it creates the theoretical background related to the concept of childhood
and reveals factors that might shape children’s mentalities.

At the same time, the review helps to outline the basic characteristics of the family and the
ways it might impact the development and formation of children in multiple contexts.

Moreover, the study presupposes the analysis of the concept of childhood from
psychological and sociological perspectives to determine how diverse factors emerging
within a family such as behavioural patterns, culture, and religion might impact the
formation of children’s behaviour and their attitudes to the family.

Finally, the way the family environment impacts individuals will be investigated via the
questionnaire and the interview with children and parents to determine their attitudes
towards relations between partners and their perspective on this very issue.

Literature Review
The modern research literature considers childhood one of the central concepts impacting
the formation of individuals and their further lives. It is defined as a temporal notion that is
used to describe a particular period in the life after infancy and before adulthood (Wells,
2015).

The given broad issue includes numerous processes that might impact individuals during
their development and acquisition of skills and competencies needed to become a sound
personality.

The significance of the given concept is also evidenced by Arndt, Gibbons, and Fitzsimons
(2015) who state that the successes and failures during this project impact individuals and
contribute to the emergence of particular behavioural patterns that will determine the way
people will live their lives.

At the same time, the modern approach to this issue presupposes the in-depth evaluation of
all factors that might impact children with the primary aim to eliminate any potential risks
and threats to their well-being.
For this reason, Brophy (2016) states that the being a complex and abstract construction,
the idea of childhood remains one of the central factors responsible for the future success.
For this reason, its investigation acquires the top priority.

The concept of childhood is closely related to the social institution of the family. Zartler
(2014) states that the quality of the home environment is the central factor determining the
evolution of a child and impacting his/her future life.

Every family presupposes the existence of specific behavioural patterns and peculiarities
of culture peculiar only to this very household (Zartler, 2014). For this reason, every child
acquires a set of values and principles cultivated in the environment where he/she grows.

This process is critical for the improved understanding of the concept of childhood as
preconditions the emergence of all responses and reactions to particular stressors in non-
adults (Zartler, 2014).

Moreover, Dreby and Adkins (2011) assume that the concept of the family as a system
with its unique features serves as the background for the investigation of childhood that
becomes dependent from the first one and evolves regarding these very unique features.

From the psychological perspective, these two notions are closely interconnected, and the
emergence of various conflicts might promote the development of traumas deteriorating
the quality of people’s lives (Nadan & Ganz, 2018). For this reason, investigation of
childhood in the context of family acquires the top priority.

Finally, from the sociological perspective, the family is a fundamental element of the
society as it contributes to its development. However, according to numerous research
works, the gradual decline of this institution might be observed (Dreby & Adkins, 2011).

The traditional family with strong bonds between its members and particular value system
becomes an anachronism which now succumbs to the pressure of so-called free
relationships or open marriage.

Nevertheless, Dreby and Adkins (2011) emphasize the fact that the culture, religion, and
behavioural patterns peculiar to a certain family significantly impact the formation of a
child and acquisition of diverse behavioural patterns that will be used in future in different
spheres, including relations with other individuals.
For this reason, the investigation of these effects might help to understand the mechanisms
of the formation of certain habits and responses to different stressors.

Factors Shaping Children’s Behaviour

In the research, we are focused on the investigation of the ways that culture, religion, and
behavioural patterns impact childhood and result in the emergence of particular habits and
attitudes. As it comes from the literature review, these two concepts (family and
childhood) are interconnected as since the first stages of their existence, children live in the
family environment and form their skills and attitudes under the impact of traditions and
perspectives peculiar to this very unit.

For this reason, determination of how above-mentioned factors might shape children and
their analysis acquires the top priority for the research. It might help to improve the overall
understanding of the concept of childhood and how it alters under the impact of diverse
factors.

Moreover, the existing global context presupposes the essential role of children in the
evolution of the society because of their ability to impact it in future. For this reason, their
attitudes toward particular aspects are central from sociological and psychological
perspectives.

Culture
Nevertheless, culture has always been one of the central factors impacting people’s
mentalities, attitudes, and perspectives on particular issues. Concerning the concepts of
childhood and family, it plays a central role in the formation of mentalities and responses.

The fact is that every family has its own environment that is formed by multiple factors,
including the investigated one. By the research, representatives of different cultures exert
various effects on children cultivating particular responses and promoting their functioning
in certain ways.

At the same time, children’s personality remains flexible, and it is ready for the acquisition
of new information related to different spheres. For this reason, in the majority of cases,
the culture that is accepted within the family directly affects children and makes them
behave in certain ways.

It depends on the peculiarities of the religion and what ideas are cultivated. For instance,
the attitude to the institution of family and relations with partners are the meaningful parts
of the culture of the household. Living in the environment that promotes particular
perspectives on these issues, a child will elaborate his/her own vision formed under the
impact of dominant culture.

Religion
The second significant aspect that might impact the formation of children’s personality
and behavioural patterns is the religion. It remains one of the most powerful forces in the
world that shape peoples mentalities and determining the ways they live. The fact is that
different families have their unique beliefs that shape relations between their members and
directly affect their actions.

It results in the emergence of drastic differences in the ways people behave or cognize the
surrounding reality. However, all the mechanisms of these responses generation are
formed in childhood when a child watches his/her parents interact with different objects
and people.

In this context, religion becomes one of the central factors that contribute to the
appearance of particular habits and behavioural patterns. Additionally, it is closely
connected with the social institution of family as the majority of existing religions cultivate
this idea and outline the necessity of its creation.

In this regard, investigating the surrounding world through the prism of religion and
parents attitudes to it, a child elaborates his/her own perspectives on how an individual
should act in different situations. For this reason, the concept of childhood becomes
closely connected with religion cultivated in families.

Behavioural Patterns
Finally, behavioural patterns peculiar to a particular family should be considered another
important element that shapes the concept of childhood and results in the emergence of
specific habits and attitudes in children.

For instance, by the statistics, children whose parents have stable relations, demonstrate
respectful attitudes to each other, and behave in socially accepted ways, have more
chances to engage in stable relations and create new families.

On the contrary, individuals who grow in problematic households with violent behaviours
will probably suffer from similar problems in their future relations.

Thus, the scope of behavioural patterns encompasses not only the intercourse between
parents; however, their behaviour in different situations and including communication and
cooperation with other individuals might also be included. It is also related to the way
parents interact with their children and how they impact the formation of their skills and
behaviours.

In such a way, the concept of childhood becomes dependant on relations between parents
and behavioural patterns that shape children’s mentalities. The immatureness of their
minds results in their ability to absorb all information acquired from their close people.
That is why they become vulnerable to inappropriate behaviours.

Such factors as culture, religion, and behaviour patterns within a family impact children
mentalities and the emergence of particular behaviours. These issues might precondition
the appearance of different responses both positive and negative one.

For this reason, the creation of the appropriate family environment cultivating the needed
system of values and promoting behavioural patterns accepted by the society becomes the
central task of parents to guarantee happy childhood and contribute to the beneficial
development of a child.

Applying this information to the context of the family as the social institution, the
dependence between the concept of childhood and this one can be noticed. Children’s
attitudes towards families to a greater degree depend on the environment in which they
grow and on the ways their parents interact with each other within families.

For this reason, the gradual decline of this institutions’ importance can be explained by the
fact that less attention is given to the cultivation of particular value systems by parents and
the global tendency towards the alteration of some elements of the concept of childhood
that include altered attitudes to family and stereotypical relations between men and
women.

Interview
The given assumption can be proven by the results of the face-to-face interview with
children representing families with different cultures, religions, and behavioural patterns.
All the participants will be asked the following questions.

1. What do you think about the family?

2. Should all people have the family?
3. What is the most important thing in the family?
4. Do parents discuss your family with you?

Results of the given interview demonstrate the existence of a particular tendency towards
the decline of the importance of this social institution. Thus, all respondents have a
positive attitude towards families as it provides them with protection and things they need
to evolve.

The majority of respondents do not know what the reason for this social institution is and
have problems with the identification of the most important aspects of this social
institution. It can be explained by the fact that in 8 cases of 10 parents do not talk with
children about their relations and the role families play in the society and its evolution.

Conclusion
Altogether, the study reveals the role culture, religion, and behavioural patterns of the
family play in the formation of children’s mentalities and their habits. The concepts of
family and childhood are closely connected with each other, which mean that alteration of
one of the elements of this system will obviously affect another one.

For this reason, the adherence to particular religions or cultures exerts multiple effects on
children who live in the family environment. The literature review conducted for the
research also proves this idea by admitting the significant role the social institution plays in
the formation of childhood and describing how the set of aspects mentioned above might
precondition the emergence of particular responses or attitudes.

At the same time, the appearance of problems in families might have a pernicious impact
on children and facilitate the formation of inappropriate behavioural patterns or habits. In
this regard, consideration of the given aspect should acquire the top priority while
investigating the concept of childhood and factors that shape it.

References
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Brophy, R. (2016). Beautiful monsters, strange children and the problem of making
distinctions. Global Studies of Childhood, 6(2), 177-189. doi:10.1177/2043610616647628

Dreby, J., & Adkins, T. (2011). The strength of family ties: How US migration shapes
children’s ideas of family. Childhood, 19(2), 169-187. doi:10.1177/0907568211411206

Nadan, Y., & Ganz, Z. (2018). Perspectives of ultra-Orthodox children in Israel on risk
and protection: The intersection of culture, religion, spirituality, and socio-political
context. Childhood. doi:10.1177/0907568218774096

Wells, K. (2015). Childhood in a global perspective. Cambridge: Polity Press.

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