Deck 12: Section 1: The Family

Question 1

Dana and Gerry's 9-year-old son is particularly kind and considerate. Using the three means of parent socialization-direct instruction, indirect socialization, and social management-describe how Dana and Gerry might have socialized their son's kindness and consideration. Which of the three means of parental socialization might Dana and Gerry have used intentionally? Be specific and provide examples.

Answer 1

Not Answer

Question 2

Describe how the effects of non-maternal child care appear to differ for children from low-income families versus children from working-class families. Why do you believe these differences exist? Give specific examples to support your argument.

Answer 2

Not Answer

Question 3

To what does the phrase "bidirectionality of parent‒child interactions" refer? Provide a detailed example of this phenomenon.

Answer 3

Not Answer

Question 4

Why do some children seem fine following a divorce whereas others do poorly? Describe three factors likely to decrease children's risk for poor adjustment and three factors likely to increase children's risk. Explain the role these factors play.

Question 5

Researchers have suggested that general parenting style influences the impact that specific parenting practices have on children, as well as children's receptiveness to parents' practices. Give two examples from your own life (or from the life of someone you know) to support this notion.

Question 6

Describe what is meant by differential susceptibility. Provide an example of how children with a difficult temperament may be differentially susceptible to parenting style.

Question 7

Describe the current psychological understanding of the effects of child care on children's attachment to their parents, levels of aggression, and cognitive development.

Question 8

Gretchen, a 7-year-old, has just started taking gymnastics class for the first time. After two classes, she decides she does not want to go anymore. Describe how parents exhibiting each of the four parenting styles identified by Baumrind might react to Gretchen's decision.

Question 9

Describe the family dynamics that may be involved when the Wen family, made up of a divorced mother and her three children-Jack, who is 4 years old; Kendall, who is 9 years old; and Ramie, who is 13 years old-is informed that Kendall has been in a serious car accident with a school friend. What are some possible effects on how the family operates as a whole and how might it affect the development of the three children in the family?

Question 10

Imagine a mother of a 4-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son. She has been staying home full time with her children since her son was born, but now she is considering going back to work full time outside of the home. What advice could be given to her based on the research in this chapter? Would the advice be different if she had two girls rather than a boy and a girl? What about if she had two boys? Would the advice depend at all on why she is considering going back to work-because she wants to or because she has to in order to provide necessary additional family income? Why or why not?

Question 11

Describe the child development outcomes that are associated with the authoritative style of parenting. Why is this parenting style associated with these types of outcomes for children?

Question 12

Imagine a mother who is going through the process of divorce. What advice could be given to her to help her in improving her children's adjustment following the divorce? Be specific.

Question 13

Describe how the sociocultural context in which you grew up might have affected your parents' behaviour toward you. Be specific and give at least three supportive examples. You can think about the sociocultural context as your race or ethnicity, or as the country or part of the country in which you were raised.

Question 14

Consider a sibling relationship you know well-your own, your cousin's, or a friend's, for example-and briefly describe the level of conflict the pair engaged in during their childhoods. Thinking about the factors outlined in the text that can impact the quality of the sibling relationship, describe two factors that you believe may have increased or decreased the level of sibling rivalry in this particular pair. Be sure to explain how each of the two factors may have played a role.

Question 15

Write a brief article for a parenting magazine describing the good and bad qualities of sibling relationships. Also describe what parents can do to help the older sibling adjust to the addition of a new family member.

Question 16

Describe three factors likely to have an impact on children's adjustment following a custodial parent's remarriage. Explain the role these factors play and why you think they are important. Give examples as necessary to support your points.

Question 17

Describe the four parenting styles identified by Diana Baumrind. For each style, describe how it is defined, as well as its effects on children.

Question 18

Design an intervention for low-SES families to improve parenting style. Identify three aspects of parent behaviour that will be targeted, how attempts will be made to improve the behaviours, and what results should be expected in terms of parenting style and child outcome. Be specific as to how it will be determined whether the intervention has been successful.

Question 19

If you are not already a parent, has the information on the differences between younger and older parents had an impact on your thoughts about when would be ideal for you to become a parent? If you are already a parent, what have you learned from this information that influences your perspective on the age at which you had your children?

Question 20

Think about a personality characteristic that most people would find appealing or important. Think also about a personality characteristic that most people find particularly unappealing or unlikable. Using the three means of parent socialization-direct instruction, indirect socialization, and social management-describe how parents might socialize each of these two characteristics. Be specific and provide examples.