Ch 11 The Ecological Systems Perspective Family is part of an interdependent system Child affects family members and vice versa Characteristics of systems Families Tend to attain homeostasis Have boundaries Are adaptable Use routines and rituals Well functioning compared to negatively functioning families The Marital System What are committed arrangements Civil unions and cohabitation by domestic partners Partners interpersonal relationship has an important impact on their children Emotions shown Discipline and childrearing practices Child attachment to parents Psychological effects Positive and negative Mothers and fathers influence differently Impact of parent s style of handling conflict Two pathways Direct actual witnesses to arguments and fights Indirect marital difficulties cause parents to change their child rearing practices in unfamiliar ways Boys tend to externalize problems Girls tend to internalize problems Boys more likely exposed to parental bickering and physical abuse than girls Parents are more protective of their daughters Impact of new baby Shift to traditional division of labor Marital satisfaction declines Declines more significantly in women than men after birth of first child Declines more slowly in men Child s temperament Temperamentally difficult or handicapped children often cause heightened family stress Couples who were satisfied before child s birth withstand the pressures well and show fewer disruptions than those who were already having problems Parent Child System There is no magic childrearing formula Parents try to adapt Parents socialization of children Conscious and systematic begins at birth Social roles reinforced through modeling Parents knowingly use reinforcement techniques observing occurs by chance Promotes child s social life and activities Choose neighborhoods and home they grow up in decorate their rooms provide them with toys and books and television Social events enrolling them in activities sports art music etc Dimensions of Parental Behavior Parenting patterns and styles utilize emotionality and control Emotionality Warm loving parent child likely to want to maintain parent s approval and to be distressed at any prospect of losing parent s love Physical punishment more effective Cold rejecting threat of withdrawal of love is unlikely to be an effective mechanism of socialization Goal is to enable the child eventually to control her own behavior and to choose socially responsible alternatives Involves mutual influence from both parents and children Two kinds Control Behavioral setting reasonable rules and parental use of suggestions reasoning and possible alternative courses of action and monitoring child s activities when moderate children are more likely to cooperate Psychological the use of emotion directed tactics such as guilt or shame induction withdrawal of love or affection or ignoring or discounting a child s feelings Use of this leads to lower self esteem higher anxiety and possibly depression Age affects child s responses reasoning As they grow older they resist being controlled and manipulated Gradual shift to self control by child Self reinforcement for appropriate social behavior becomes important Spend more time out of home Baumrind 1967 parenting styles based on observations and interviews of parents interacting with children at home lab longitudinal style Parenting Styles Authoritative Warm involved but not intrusive responsive set reasonable limits enforce the rules fairly Authoritarian Harsh unresponsive rigid use power assertive methods of control Little warmth or positive involvement Shows anger and displeasure Lead to irritable moody aggressive child Permissive Relaxed inconsistent discipline encourage children to express their impulses freely Moderately warm ignores bad behavior don t convey the rules and child does not know what to expect of themselves or the parent Unresponsive neglectful more selfish and self serving Parents focus on their own needs rather than their children s Uninvolved Challenges to the Parenting Styles Approach Child s temperament and behaviors Giving more attention to how much child s temperament and behavior influences the parents style Physical and social neighborhood Multiple studies found minority parents living in dangerous neighborhood who used authoritarian parenting style had better adjusted children than those who used an authoritative approach Families ethnic cultural practices Chinese parents score high on authoritarian scale Chinese emphasis on human kindness developing sensitive knowledge of others adhering to social rules of conduct and interaction US more on asking child s opinions Authoritarian styles were associated with higher self esteem for Middle Eastern but not Anglo children The Co Parenting System Gate keeping form of co parenting Spouses work together as a team High degree of family harmony with cooperative warmth and child centered Competition between parents works against cohesion Related to aggression in children Gatekeeping One parent limits or control s the other parent s level of participation Buy in for active involvement The Sibling System Families affected by Number and gender of children Spacing between births Sibling relationships and birth order Firstborn adult oriented helpful self controlled studious conscientious and serious about academics and professional achievement also more fearful anxious more guilt more difficulty coping along Advantages of only child Advantages of only child high achiever less anxious personal control maturity and leadership and positive adjustments to social relations Birth order affects parent child interactions The Family as an Agent of Socialization Family Stories and Rituals Family unit differing socialization contexts Stories and rituals Serves as a protective function Positive impact of parents who preserve family rituals and attach meaning to their rituals St Patrick s Day example Provides higher self esteem less likely to become alcoholics Protects child increases family functioning Roles and impacts of grandparents Subgroups exist within a culture with differing values attitudes beliefs and problems to cope with Power and Powerlessness women and children in the U S are most affected The basic problem of poor is powerlessness Nearly 17 of American children live in poverty The poor have less influence over society and are less likely to be treated equally Extensive support networks among the poor provide
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