1. Psychology 235 Dr. Blakemore
Parenting

2. Dimensions of Parenting
Economic Resources
Warmth and responsiveness
Control and Discipline
Cognitive Stimulation
Modeling of attitudes, values, and behaviors
Gatekeeping
Family routines and traditions

3. Economic Influences Impacts birthweight, health, nutrition
Exposure to toxins
Neighborhood and schools
Family financial and other resources
Use of television, books, and other resources
Maternal depression
Other stresses
Probability of divorce and living in a single-parent home
The largest impact is on parents’ behaviors

4. Modeling of Attitudes, values, and behaviors
Parents’ values (political, social, moral, ethical, religious, educational, etc.)
Parents’ behavior that they model to the children
Discussions about how they want their child to act

5. Gatekeeping Who the children’s friends will be
What activities and programs they become involved in
Supervision of homework
Restrictions on television
Diet, snacking, etc.
Parent involvement in school, and other institutions (religious activities, athletics, music, and the arts, etc.)

6. Family Routines and Traditions
Daily routines, meal times, homework, TV, etc.
Cultural, religious, and other family traditions
Connections to family and heritage

7. Control and Warmth = Discipline Styles
On a continuum from highly controlling to not at all controlling
Warmth
On a continuum from very warm and affectionate to cold and distant

9. High Control Power assertion Demands obedience
May use physical or other power assertive forms of punishment
High restrictiveness
Can lead to obedience if power is high enough
Associated with anxiety and low self esteem
Associated with more external sense of “morality”
often leads to resistance

10. Brief Discussion of Spanking
Other aspects of discipline are more important
Impact of spanking depends on frequency and severity
Mild and infrequent physical punishment “probably” has little detrimental effect
One positive effect is that it is likely to produce quick compliance

11. Negative Effects of Spanking
Research has generally shown more negative impact of spanking than positive
Lower moral internalization
Higher aggression
More delinquent and antisocial behavior, both in childhood and adulthood
Poorer quality of parent-child relationship
Poorer mental health outcomes, both in children and in adults
More abuse of own spouse and children
More likely to be abused

12. Moderate Control Rules to guide child
Consistent enforcement of age appropriate standards
High but age appropriate expectations
Open communication
Reciprocal control to some degree -- child can also influence parent
Child has some control over situation
Associated with mature self control

13. Low Control No consistent rules No attempt to guide child to maturity
May be parental outbursts when child is annoying
Child is likely to be rude and immature
or possibly hostile and angry

14. Warmth Caring, affectionate committed to child’s welfare
responsive to the child
willing to spend time
ready to show enthusiasm
sensitive to child’s emotional state
affects discipline
Child is more willing to comply when mutual caring relationship exists

15. Parental Discipline Styles
Styles are a function of both warmth and control
Are affected by child’s characteristics as well as parent’s
Also are related to child’s age
Having developed a reciprocal relationship is relevant at all ages

17. Short video clip

18. Hostile – Neglectful (or univolved)
Low on both warmth and control
No clear rules and standards
Little affection
Children may become delinquent, likely to be hostile and angry.

19. Authoritarian Controlling, power-assertive and punitive
Will often use physical punishment
Children are likely to resist compliance, unless the cost is too high
Then children will be obedient
They will obey out of fear rather than a desire to do the right thing
children may be shy and fearful
They are likely to be hostile toward their parents

20. Permissive (or indulgent)
Virtually no standards of behavior
Warmth and affection, at least some times
Rude, selfish, immature children
Difficulty controlling their behavior
At home assertive and disrespectful

21. Authoritative (or democratic)
Midway in control
Warm and affectionate
Do have rules and standards to guide the child
Children not as likely to be blindly obedient
Nor are they as likely to resist complying
Mature, self-controlled
Competent

22. Is there a recipe for successful child rearing?
Warmth, happiness and mutual support
Promote desirable behaviors
Firmly enforce demands
Avoid unnecessary power assertion and physical punishment

23. Recipe continued Use induction – tell children why things are wrong
Focus on other people’s needs
Give children feelings of control
Be consistent
Model the behavior you want your children to have