(Maybe add in definition of parenting style) Throughout this course we have learned that the greatest influence on a child’s development is “the family” he or she grows up in. The family is This begs the question: Is there a right way to parent a child? In other words, can one influence a child in a way that guarantees a successful outcome, or in this case, healthy social development? The pioneering research on parenting style was conducted by Diana Baumrind, a developmental psychologist from the University of Berkley who differentiated among four styles of parenting: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful. Each of the parenting styles is defined by distinct characteristics that produce different effects on the …show more content…
“”s?). Parents usually affect a children’s socialization in three different ways: as direct instructors, indirect socializers, and social managers (textbook). As direct instructors, parents teach their children skills and explicitly advise them on various matters. (add another thought) Indirect socializers influence their children by the examples they lead. They provide indirect socialization through their own behaviors and attitudes around their children. And finally, as social managers, parents manage their children’s social lives by deciding what experiences to expose them to (schools, day cares, play dates, etc.) (textbook). The four parenting styles all use these methods to influence their children’s social behaviors, but vary considerably in how they do so. To better understand the impact parenting can have on a child’s development, researchers have identified two important dimensions of parenting: the degree of parental responsiveness, warmth and support, and the degree of parental demand and control. (textbook) The four styles use different combinations of these dimensions with various outcomes as a …show more content…
Neglectful parents act as the antithesis of authoritative parents. They are disengaged, neither demanding of nor responsive to their children. There are no set guidelines or limits, acceptance or support. These parents are more focused on their own needs, sometimes rejecting their children altogether. Children who experience neglectful parents tend to have disturbed attachment relationships when they are very young (infants or toddlers), and problems with peer relationships when they grow older. In adolescence they tend to exhibit problems such as anti-social behavior and low academic competency. They internalize rather than externalize issues, which often leads to social withdrawal. “The negative effects of type of parenting appear to accumulate and worsen over the course of