Parenting Styles
Abstract
This paper analyzes various parenting styles based on research by developmental professionals. The four basic patterns of behavior discussed here are authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful and indulgent parenting with the latter two being classified as permissive. Characteristics typical to each of these styles and their effect on parent and child will be explored in detail. Cultural differences will be discussed and what influences parenting has on education. Behaviorist research will be introduced and examined for comparison to the developmental approach. The research will indicate that about one-third of all parents use authoritative style of parenting. Regardless of the preferred style, varying factors …show more content…

A dominant value in U.S. societies is that all children should learn to be independent and not rely too heavily on their parents. Child rearing in other ethnic groups often reflects different customs and belief systems. This is especially true with respect to the meaning attached to a child’s behavior. (Coon, 2001, p. 101) The meaning will depend on the parents’ cultural beliefs and values. These differences in cultural values will result in very different philosophies of child rearing. (Feldman, 2000, p. 373)
According to Harris, a weakness in Baumrinds study is that it does not consider cultural influences. For example, Asian, African American, and Hispanic parents are more likely to use controlling parenting styles because of the environment they inhabit. Harris believes that the community influences in these cultures have a greater impact on the child than the particular parenting style.
Harris and other behaviorists strongly disagree with the research by Baumrind and other developmentalists. Harris concludes that “personality is shaped by the experiences children have outside the home-- in particular, experiences with peers—and that any similarities between parents and children are due to shared genes and a shared culture.” This debate was addressed by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation by sponsoring a conference and a book titled