Chapter 4
Ecology of Parenting
Prologue
What makes a good parent?
• Where do we get our values and information
about how we should parent?
• What is a “good” parent (in terms of society,
the child, the self)?
• How do children influence parenting?
• Parenting – means implanting a serious of
decisions about the socialization of one’s
children
Fig. 4-1, p. 130
Macrosystem influences on parenting
• Political ideology
– Most traditional societies subscribe to an
aristocratic political ideology, or
government by the highest-ranking class
individuals
– Many modern societies such as the United
States, subscribe to a democratic political
ideology
Macrosystem influences on parenting
• Political ideology
– Historically, some have believed that one’s
main purpose was to serve God or one’s
country. Others believe in serving the
family or one’s self
Macrosystem influences on parenting
• Culture
– There are three universal parenting goals:
• Ensuring physical health and survival
• Developing behavioral capacities for
economic self-maintenance
• Instilling behavioral capacities for
maximizing cultural values such as
morality, prestige, and achievement
Macrosystem influences on parenting
• Culture
– How various cultures prioritize these
universal parenting goals may explain
differences in maternal behavior toward
infants
– Culture, economics, and children’s
behavior
Fig. 4-2, p. 134
Macrosystem influences on parenting
• Socioeconomic status (SES)
– A family’s SES is its rank or position within
society
– Parental occupations and children’s
behavior
Macrosystem influences on parenting
•
Ethnicity/Religion
– The cooperative/interdependent
(collective orientation)
a. Authority roles tend to be hierarchical
b. Communication patterns vary
c. Display of emotions vary
d. Discipline/guidance
e. Skills emphasis
Macrosystem influences on parenting
– Competitive/independent (individualistic)
orientation
a. Authority roles
b. Communication patterns vary
c. Displays of emotions vary
d. Discipline/guidance of children
e. Skills emphasis
Attachment
https://youtu.be/DnGthYxlu0E
Video Question
• Discuss the importance of consistent and
responsive caregiving to a child’s emotional
health and well-being.
Table 4-1, p. 144
Chronosystem influences on parenting
• Historical trends
– Colonial America
• Parenting was adult-centered
• Tradition and religion influences childrearing practices
• Early childhood was viewed “as a
negative period of life…”
• There were ideas from many
philosophers
Chronosystem influences on parenting
• Historical trends
– Nineteenth century
• G. Stanly Hall
Chronosystem influences on parenting
• Historical trends
– Twentieth century
• John B. Watson
• Benjamin Spock
• Jean Piaget
• Trends in American child-rearing
Chronosystem influences on parenting
• Family Dynamics
– Children’s characteristics
• Age
• Temperament
• Gender
• Presence of a disability
Chronosystem influences on parenting
• Family Dynamics
– Family Characteristics
• Size
• Configuration
• Parent’s life stages
• Marital quality
Fig. 4-3, p. 157
Parenting styles
• Microsystem influences: Between parent and
child
– Attachment—an outcome of sensitive
responsive caregiving
– Self-regulation and prosocial behavior
Parenting styles
• Diana Baumrind classified preschool children
into three groups based on their behavior
– Competent children
– Withdrawn children
– Immature children
Parenting styles
• Baumrind determined three classifications of
child-rearing
– Authoritative
– Authoritarian
– Permissive
Table 4-2, p. 160
Table 4-3, p. 162
Parenting Styles
• Mesosystem influences: between parents and
others
– School
– Community
Table 4-4, p. 164
Appropriate parenting practices
• Developmental appropriateness
• Guidance and discipline
Fig. 4-4, p. 166
Inappropriate Parenting Practices
• Child maltreatment: Abuse and neglect
– Physical abuse
– Sexual abuse
– Psychological or emotional abuse
• Correlates and consequences of child
maltreatment
Inappropriate Parenting Practices
•
The family and maltreatment
a. Often parents have a history of being
maltreated
b. Parents who were abused as children are
prone to character and behavior
disorders, self-doubt, and internal anger
c. Parents who have emotional problems,
financial problems, stress, lack
knowledge about child development, and
are immature may neglect or abuse
Inappropriate Parenting Practices
•
The family and maltreatment
d. Abusive parents often have unrealistic
expectations of their children
e. Depression and alcoholism have been
linked to abuse
f. Abusive parents often look to their
children to fulfill needs unmet in their own
childhood
Inappropriate Parenting Practices
•
The child and maltreatment
– Certain physical and psychological
characteristics have been associated
more often with abused children than with
non-abused children
– Children who are more difficult than
average to care for seem more often to
be subjected to maltreatment
Fig. 4-5, p. 171
Inappropriate Parenting Practices
•
The community and maltreatment
– Abusive families tend to be isolated
– The line between physical abuse and
acceptable discipline sometimes depends
on the interpreter (society)