Individual Differences,

Social and
Developmental
Psychology
Lecture 4 (Psy1282)
26/10/07
Socialisation and the Family
Today’s lecture covers:
 A) Introduction

 B) Systems Theory: How parents contribute

to the socialising of their children

 C) Parenting Style: Its influence on

children’s Socialisation
Baumrind (1971): Authoritative Parenting
Authoritarian Parenting
Permissive Parenting

 D) Summary

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A) Introduction
 Most children begin their long process of social
adaptation in a family

 The traditional view: the most effective

socialisation happens in families

 Historically Mothers were assumed to be entirely

responsible for the socialisation of their children
 Freud placed great emphasis on the
mother-child relationship in normal
development
 During the world wars many Fathers were
absent - women did most of the child-
rearing. 3
A) Introduction continued
 The contemporary view of socialisation is
complex

 Families are most influential during early

childhood

 Relationship between Mum and child = best index

of child adjustment

 But Mum is not entirely in control of that

relationship!

 Thus, Mothers are not entirely responsible for the

social outcome of their children 4
 B) Systems Theory: How parents
contribute to the socialising of their
children
 Systems theory: the relationships between all
family members dictate the prognosis of
children’s socialisation within the family

 Family members influence each other directly

and indirectly:

 Example i) Direct influences = 1:1 relationship

between Mum and Dad; 1:1 relationship
between siblings

 Example ii) Indirect influences = positive

parental relationship leads to sensitive and
effective parenting; 5
 Clarke & Clarke (2000): the child’s temperament
influences their parents’ parenting behaviour –
creates a feedback cycle:

 Demanding, and difficult children might “invite”

less positive parenting experiences

 Difficult behaviour might add stress to the marital

relationship; reinforcing negative parenting

 Example: Korn et al., (1978); Floyd and Zurich

(1991) report a potential deterioration of the
marital relationship under the strain of parenting
difficult children

 Feedback - this creates a more aversive home

environment for the child
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B) Summary of Systems Theory

 All relationships within the family function in an

interdependent manner (direct & indirect:
transactions)

 Parents contribute to the socialisation of their

children during infancy and the early years:
 The more positive the parents’ relationship, the

more positive is their influence on their

children; vice-versa

 Children influence their parents – help to create

their socialisation environment

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C) Parenting Style: Its Influence
on Children’s Socialisation
 Systems theory rejects the traditional view of
simple parental effects in socialisation

 But! There is evidence that particular parenting

styles do predict different outcomes in children’s
socialisation

 Baumrind’s (1967; 1971) classification of three

styles of parenting:
 Authoritative, Authoritarian and Permissive.

(Neglectful or abusive, is sometimes included).

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Ci) Authoritative parents
(controlling but flexible)
 Parents:
 Encourage discussion and explain themselves
to their children

 Demand mature behaviour and guide their

children’s activities

 Provide a stimulating and challenging

environment

 Children:
 Learn to use their initiative, accept the
consequences of their actions; recognise the
perspectives of others
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 Cii) Authoritarian Parents
(restrictive)
Parents:
 Score highly on measures of control; set high
standards of behaviour; value respect for
authority and obedience

 Impose their views when their children’s

actions or beliefs conflict with their own; do not
encourage discussion - children should blindly
accept parental authority

 Children:
 Tend to lack independence and assertiveness;

exhibit only average levels of social and cognitive

competence

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Ciii) Permissive Parents (lax)
 Parents:
 Avoid exercising control; grant children
autonomy early on

 Make few maturity demands; fail to insist that

children obey externally defined standards

 Respond in non-punitive and affirmative ways;

reinforce anti- social activities; protect their
children from the consequences of their own
behaviour

 Children:
 Tend not to be achievement oriented; exhibit
low social and cognitive competencies
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 Does Baumrind (1971) reflect the traditional
view of socialisation?

 For example: Does her typology reflect

stereotyped class prejudicial attitudes?
 Authoritative parents = middle-class families?

 Authoritarian parents = traditional, working

class families?
 Permissive parents = anti-social, underclass?

 Can we reconcile Style of Parenting and Systems

Theory?
 Systems Theory might help to explain how
parents adopt their style / move between
styles

 Example:
 Children encourage parents’ adoption of
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parenting style
 D) Summary
 Baumrind:
 Parenting style correlates with reliable social and
cognitive differences between children

 Parents’ adoption of a ‘style’ is dependant upon

the demands of the situation

 Systems Theory:
 All family members influence children’s
socialisation

 Reflects the multi-factorial approach; permits

greater levels of flexibility in individual prognosis

 Baumrind’s typology and systems theory are not

necessarily antithetical - It can be argued that
they are compatible 13
Reading

 Core text: Chapter 15 (on the Family)

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