1. Karin Karako Hunter college, the city university of new york
HOW DO DIFFERENT PARENTING STYLES AFFECT CHILDREN’S SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE COMPETENCE?
Karin Karako
Hunter college, the city university of new york

2. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parenting styles on the social and cognitive competence of children. 
This is an important question to consider because it allows us to examine which parenting styles lead to beneficial or problematic development in children.
Although this study is similar to previous ones, it incorporates a new concept. This study takes a look at whether children view one parent more than another as the authority figure in the house based on what parenting style their parents exhibit.

3. INTRODUCTION Three hypotheses will be tested in this study:
1. The first hypotheses stated that children with authoritative parents will score highest on both scales while children with uninvolved parents will score lowest on both scales. 
2. The second hypothesis stated that children with authoritarian parents will score more negatively on the social competence scale than children with permissive parents, but will score more positively on the cognitive competence scale than children with permissive parents. 
3. Lastly, the third hypothesis stated that there would be a stronger sense of authority associated with fathers than mothers. 

4. RESULTS
The first part of this experiment would be tested using a One-way MANOVA to test the effect parenting style has on social and cognitive competence 
The dependent variables in this experiment would be how they perform on (1) the social competence scale and (2) the cognitive competence scale.
The independent variables in this experiment are the four different parenting styles
1. Authoritative
2. Authoritarian
3. Permissive 
4. Uninvolved 
The second part of this experiment would use a loglinear analysis in order to test whether there is a difference between the four parenting style groups regarding which parent (gender) they view as the authority figure

5. DISCUSSION
The findings from this experiment would prove 2 of the hypotheses correct. First results would show that authoritative parents would raise children with the highest scores in both social and cognitive competence, while children with uninvolved parents would have the lowest scores on both scales.  In addition we would see that children with authoritarian parents would score more negatively on the social competence scale than children with permissive parents.  However, children with permissive parents would be shown to score more negatively on the cognitive competence scale than children of authoritarian parents. These finding correlate with previous studies similar to the present one. 
It is very important for us to examine whether parenting styles can effect a child's development, cognitively and socially, because it allows us to see which styles are beneficial to the child and which are simply problematic. By doing so we are able to inform parents which practices they need to modify or keep in order to have the best possible outcomes for their children.

6. DISCUSSION
​Many studies have examined other factors such as ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and gender along with effects of parenting styles on the development of a child.
 However, none have yet to examine if parenting style has an effect on whether children view a certain parent (gender) as the authority figure in the house. The authority figure is usually the one that decides the rules sometimes punishments, depending on the type of parenting style used in the house. 
Unfortunately, the results from this study would not able to shed light on this matter. No difference would be found regarding the parent chosen to represent the authority figure between all four groups of parenting styles. Nonetheless, this new concept allows for further research to be conducted on the matter.

7. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Participants. 176 third grade student (males 80, females 96) and their parents (female 176, male 176.)Parents would be asked to give consent for themselves and their children to participant in this study. 
Parents would be asked to answer a questionnaire in order to determine which category of parenting style they fell under; authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, uninvolved. Once the data is collected, the children would be split up into four groups depending on the parenting styles exhibited by their parents. 
A seven question scale would be used to determine the social competence of children. Answers to questions were either "very true for me" (two points), or "not so true for me" (one point.) The higher the score received by the child, the more socially competent they were. 

8. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Another scale would be used to determine cognitive competence (see appendix.) This scale uses the same point system as the earlier one.  
Lastly children will be asked " who makes up the rules in your house?" and "who are you more likely to listen to?" in order to examine which parent (gender) they viewed as an authority figure.

9. Parent Questionnaire :CIRCLE YOUR ANSWER
Children need discipline that hurts a little so that they will remember the lesson later.
Agree
Disagree 
Children shouldn’t always get their way, but usually we ought to learn to listen to what they have to say
Childhood is so short that parents should do everything to make it a happy time.
Children need to learn what they may or may not do, but we don’t have to use punishment to teach.
I often get angry and yell at my child.
I usually give my child choices between two appropriate alternatives rather than telling my child what to do
If parents provide a good environment, children will pretty much raise themselves.
I am responsive to my child’s feelings and needs
Disagree
I give into my child when he/she causes a commotion about something
I ignore my child’s bad behavior
Society would be better if parents were more strict with their kids.
Kids can make up their own minds and do what they want to do.

10. Cognitive Competence Scale
Social Competence Scale
Some kids have a lot of friends at school
Very true for me
Not so true for me
Some kids make new friends easily
Some kids get excited to see classmates
I am a good person
I am happy the way I am
Most kids like me
I like to work with other children
Cognitive Competence Scale
Some kids can figure out questions quickly
Very true for me
Not so true for me
Some kids are good at school work
Some kids finish their homework easily
Some kids find learning easy and fun
Some kids do not need help with their school work
Some kids perform well on tests

11. REFERENCES
1. Lamborn S, Mounts N, Steinberg L, Dornbusch S (1991) Patterns of Competence and Adjustment among Adolescents from Authoritative, Authoritarian, Indulgent, and Neglectful Families. Child Development 62: Vieno A, Nation M (2009) Parenting and Antisocial Behavior: A Model of the Relation Between Adolescent Self-Disclosure, Parental Closeness, Parental Control, and Adolescent Behavior. Developmental Psychology 45: Dekovic M, Janssens J (1992) Parents’ Child-Rearing Style and Child’s Sociometric Status. Developmental Psychology 28: Harter S (1982) The Perceived Competence Scale for Children. Child Development 53: Guajardo N, Snyder G, Petersen R (2009) Relationships among Parenting Practices, Parental Stress, Child Behavior, and Children's Social-Cognitive Development. Inf. Child. Dev. 18: