Social Class and Occupations on Parenting Styles
Dahir Nasser
Soc 202
Topic # 7
Abstract
In this paper I will discuss the affects of an individual’s social class, and occupations on their parenting styles. Most of the literature points to the upper classes careers providing them with opportunities for freedom and room to express themselves. The research also shows that the lower classes occupations require much more conformity and ability to simply follow directions. Many of the studies have also been correlated to the ways parents raise their children. They describe that as these individuals become parents they prepare their children to perform some of the same tasks they are required to do. This means that the upper class gives their kids more autonomy, while the lower classes are much authoritarian. Lastly, I take a closer look at my own upbringing and in particular how being the son of college educated professionals helped my parents be better parents and provided me with a healthier childhood environment. The majority of my research comes from a sociologist named Melvin Kohn who published several books throughout the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s on social class and parenting.
Intro The introduction to this paper begins with a question. What are the ways discipline and expectations are affected by family social class? First we need to describe what social class means, according to Marx Weber one of the leaders in this field social class is defined as a large group of people who rank closely to one another in property, prestige, and power. Many sociologists have published their own theories on how these different criteria’s can lead to either conformity or self direction (Kohn, 1977). Conformity which is commonly synonymous with the working or lower class has a more authoritarian parenting style usually accompanied by physical discipline and expectations of following directions (Boveja, 1998). The characteristics associated with this style are frequently a great deal more negative. They range from aggression to
Soc 202
Topic # 7
Abstract
In this paper I will discuss the affects of an individual’s social class, and occupations on their parenting styles. Most of the literature points to the upper classes careers providing them with opportunities for freedom and room to express themselves. The research also shows that the lower classes occupations require much more conformity and ability to simply follow directions. Many of the studies have also been correlated to the ways parents raise their children. They describe that as these individuals become parents they prepare their children to perform some of the same tasks they are required to do. This means that the upper class gives their kids more autonomy, while the lower classes are much authoritarian. Lastly, I take a closer look at my own upbringing and in particular how being the son of college educated professionals helped my parents be better parents and provided me with a healthier childhood environment. The majority of my research comes from a sociologist named Melvin Kohn who published several books throughout the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s on social class and parenting.
Intro The introduction to this paper begins with a question. What are the ways discipline and expectations are affected by family social class? First we need to describe what social class means, according to Marx Weber one of the leaders in this field social class is defined as a large group of people who rank closely to one another in property, prestige, and power. Many sociologists have published their own theories on how these different criteria’s can lead to either conformity or self direction (Kohn, 1977). Conformity which is commonly synonymous with the working or lower class has a more authoritarian parenting style usually accompanied by physical discipline and expectations of following directions (Boveja, 1998). The characteristics associated with this style are frequently a great deal more negative. They range from aggression to
References: Belsky, J., Lerner, R. M., & Spanier, G. B. (1984). The child in the family. New York: McGraw- Hill. Boveja, M. E. (1998). Parenting styles and adolescents’ learning strategies in the urban community Chen, X., Dong, Q., & Zhou, H. (1997). Authoritative and Authoritarian parenting practices and social and school performance in Chinese children Dornbusch, S. M., Ritter, P. L., Leiderman, P. H., & Roberts, D. F. (1987). The relation of parenting style to adolescent school performance Hill, N. E. (1995). The relationship between family environment and parenting style: A preliminary study of African American families Kohn, Melvin L. Class and Conformity: A Study in Values, 2nd ed. Homewood, Ill,: Dorsey Press, 1977 Kohn, Melvin L Robinson, C., Mandleco, B., Olsen, S. F., & Hart, C. H. (1995). Authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting practices: Development of a new measure