Introduction
This paper focuses on the perception of authority and how that perception influences obedience. I will explore how the development of a child’s belief in the legitimacy of their parent’s authority relates to the child’s obedience to external authoritative figures. Throughout this paper the phrase external authority will be defined as any authoritative figure (figure of authority/ authoritative figure) outside of the child’s home. First, I will explore how a child’s opinion of the parent that administers discipline is established by examining Formanek and Woog’s study on how phenotypic variations in authoritative figures affects a child’s perception of that authoritative figure and proceed to compare it to Damon’s study of patterns …show more content…
As new external figures are introduced in to the child’s life there is a transition between being mainly intimidated by the disciplinary parent to being mainly intimidated by external authority (Formanek, Woog 10). Based on Formanek and Woog’s research I believe that the child’s perception of the disciplining parent’s authority originates at an early stage in the child’s development and that when the child is introduced to a new authoritative figure the child will subconsciously extrapolate their perception of the disciplinary parent on to the new …show more content…
In his 2-year study, Damon examines changes in children’s social reasoning, specifically in the child’s perception of their parent’s authority (1010). Although there are lack of replications, large variation of consistency in testing circumstance, and type questions being asked, Damon argues that there is gradual overall growth in the child’s understanding of the parent’s and therefore the disciplinary parent’s power in his small test group (1014). Throughout his 2-year study, Damon finds gradual overall growth in the understanding of parent’s power, although the children regress or plateau year to year in their measured perception of parental authority (Ibid). In order to justify the regression or plateau in a child’s understanding of their disciplining parents authority, Damon conveys that his subjects may be in a transitional state (Ibid). Damon adopts the definition of transitional state, from Turiel’s argument that a subject is attempting to understand their parent’s authority to a larger extent than he/she actually can (1012). The transitional state as defined by Turiel could provide explanation to stages like infantile omnipotence as seen in Formanek and Woog’s study. The gradual overall transition from a child viewing their disciplining parent as a threatening authority figure to one that is non-threatening is present in both Damon’s
This paper focuses on the perception of authority and how that perception influences obedience. I will explore how the development of a child’s belief in the legitimacy of their parent’s authority relates to the child’s obedience to external authoritative figures. Throughout this paper the phrase external authority will be defined as any authoritative figure (figure of authority/ authoritative figure) outside of the child’s home. First, I will explore how a child’s opinion of the parent that administers discipline is established by examining Formanek and Woog’s study on how phenotypic variations in authoritative figures affects a child’s perception of that authoritative figure and proceed to compare it to Damon’s study of patterns …show more content…
As new external figures are introduced in to the child’s life there is a transition between being mainly intimidated by the disciplinary parent to being mainly intimidated by external authority (Formanek, Woog 10). Based on Formanek and Woog’s research I believe that the child’s perception of the disciplining parent’s authority originates at an early stage in the child’s development and that when the child is introduced to a new authoritative figure the child will subconsciously extrapolate their perception of the disciplinary parent on to the new …show more content…
In his 2-year study, Damon examines changes in children’s social reasoning, specifically in the child’s perception of their parent’s authority (1010). Although there are lack of replications, large variation of consistency in testing circumstance, and type questions being asked, Damon argues that there is gradual overall growth in the child’s understanding of the parent’s and therefore the disciplinary parent’s power in his small test group (1014). Throughout his 2-year study, Damon finds gradual overall growth in the understanding of parent’s power, although the children regress or plateau year to year in their measured perception of parental authority (Ibid). In order to justify the regression or plateau in a child’s understanding of their disciplining parents authority, Damon conveys that his subjects may be in a transitional state (Ibid). Damon adopts the definition of transitional state, from Turiel’s argument that a subject is attempting to understand their parent’s authority to a larger extent than he/she actually can (1012). The transitional state as defined by Turiel could provide explanation to stages like infantile omnipotence as seen in Formanek and Woog’s study. The gradual overall transition from a child viewing their disciplining parent as a threatening authority figure to one that is non-threatening is present in both Damon’s