1. Sociology 1201 Parenting as an institution Socialization 1)the process of learning the norms of your culture (or subculture) 2) the process of learning who you are Two aspects: nurture and control

2. Sociology 1201 Parenting styles 1.Authoritarian: emphasis on coercive control with minimal emotional support 2.Permissive: emphasis on emotional support with minimal control 3.Authoritative: high levels of emotional support combined with consistent, moderate control

3. Sociology 1201 Culture vs. science 1.Scarcity of long-term studies 2.Lack of cross cultural consensus on the goals of socialization e.g. Individualism vs. group loyalty

4. Sociology 1201 Socialization and social class Melvin Kohn’s research, beginning in the 1960s –Working class emphasis on obedience to authority and conformity –Middle class emphasis on independence and initiative General Social Survey: 2000. Cross tabulation of class and: thinkself, workhard, obey, help, popular Cross tabulation of class and getahead

5. Sociology 1201 Socialization and social class Annette Lareau’s research –Research methods: intensive interviewing and observation of just 12 families of third grader –Social class more important than race 1. Concerted cultivation: Upper middle class parents emphasized actively enhancing children’s talents, skills, and opinions through multiplicity of formal activities 2. Natural growth: working class parents emphasized providing a safe environment and letting children grow on their own Other differences: role of extended family, role of talk

6. Sociology 1201 Outcomes: the well-being of children Almost alone among the advanced industrial countries, the United States has no universal health care and 9 million children have no health insurance 1 in 6 children (13 million) live below the government's official poverty line and a much higher percentage of minority children live most of their growing up years in poverty Head Start includes only 60% of eligible poor children. Children’s Defense Fund

7. Sociology 1201 Alice Rossi: the transition to parenting Intellectual strategy: compare this transition to other role transitions 1.Much less anticipatory socialization 2.Abruptness of transition 3.Fantasy/reality discrepancy is larger than for other transitions 4.Irreversible 5.And therefore, more stressful (perhaps a sociological basis to post-partum depression)

8. Sociology 1201 American cultural myths about parenting Parenting is an instinct, especially for mothers Everyone experiences it in much the same way Parenting as THE key to your child’s eventual happiness Strong nuclear families are largely self- sufficient

9. Sociology 1201 Parenting: trends 1.Bringing fathers into the birthing experience (Childbirth Education Association) 2.Single parent families 3.Shared parenting 4. Arlie Russell Hochschild: “the daddy hierarchy”—”new fathers” vs “fading fathers”