The Different Parenting Styles and Their Effects on Children
1. Introduction
Parenting styles are created from a combination of factors that changes over time. In practice, there are mainly four parenting styles that have been used by many parents. The first two parenting styles, authoritative and indulgent, come from two different theories; gender schema theory and social cognitive theory. The last two parenting styles, neglectful and uninvolved, do not come from any particular theories. In this essay, I will be discussing about the gender schema theory, social cognitive theory and the four different parenting styles in detail.
2. Gender schema theory
Gender schema theory was proposed by Bem (1981). According to this theory, children develop a mental framework or schema about what is appropriate for their own gender and what is appropriate for the other gender. This theory suggests that children use their gender schemas to interpret the world around them and guide their behaviour. For example, a boy who has a strong gender schema for boys may avoid playing with dolls because he believes that it is not appropriate behaviour for boys. Similarly, a girl who has a strong gender schema for girls may avoid playing with toy cars because she believes that it is not appropriate behaviour for girls.
3. Social cognitive theory
Social cognitive theory was proposed by Bandura (1986). According to this theory, children learn through observing the behaviour of others and then imitate those behaviours. For example, if a child sees his father being aggressive towards his mother, the child is likely to imitate that behaviour and be aggressive towards his mother as well. Social cognitive theory suggests that children learn not only through their own personal experience but also through observing the behaviour of others around them.
4. Parenting styles
There are four main parenting styles that have been identified by researchers; authoritative, indulgent, neglectful and uninvolved parenting style.
– Authoritative parenting style
Authoritative parenting style is a combination of both authoritarian and permissive parenting style. Authoritarian parenting style is when parents are very strict and have very high expectations of their children without providing them with much emotional support. Permissive parenting style is when parents are very lenient and allow their children to make their own decisions without guidance or structure. Authoritative parenting style is considered to be the most effective parenting style as it combines the positive aspects of both authoritarian and permissive parenting style while avoiding the negative aspects of both styles. Authoritative parents are both demanding and responsive to their children’s needs. They have high expectations of their children but they are also willing to provide support and guidance when necessary.
– Indulgent parenting style
Indulgent parenting style is also known as permissive or helicopter parenting style. This type of parenting style is characterised by parents who are very responsive to their children’s needs but they do not have high expectations of their children’s behaviour or academic achievement. Indulgent parents are more likely to spoil their children with material possessions than authoritarian or authoritative parents. They may also be more likely to give in to their children’s demands than other types of parents. Although indulgent parenting style may seem like a good way to raise happy children, research has shown that indulgent parenting actually has negative long-term effects on children such as lower academic achievement and higher levels of behavioural problems.
– Neglectful parenting style
Neglectful parenting style is characterised by parents who are unresponsive to their children’s needs and have very low expectations of their children’s behaviour. Neglectful parents are often described as “hands-off” or “uninvolved”. They may be emotionally distant from their children and may not provide them with the love and support that they need. Neglectful parenting can have serious consequences for children such as lower academic achievement, behavioural problems and even mental health problems.
– Uninvolved parenting style
Uninvolved parenting style is similar to neglectful parenting style in that it is characterised by parents who are unresponsive to their children’s needs and have very low expectations of their children’s behaviour. However, unlike neglectful parenting, uninvolved parenting is not necessarily caused by a lack of love or support from parents. It may be caused by other factors such as work commitments, poverty or even mental illness. Uninvolved parenting can have serious consequences for children such as lower academic achievement, behavioural problems and even mental health problems.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, parenting styles are created from a combination of different theories and factors that change over time. The four main parenting styles that have been identified by researchers are authoritative, indulgent, neglectful and uninvolved. Authoritative parenting style is considered to be the most effective parenting style as it combines the positive aspects of both authoritarian and permissive parenting style while avoiding the negative aspects of both styles.