A Comparison between a Behaviorist approach and a Socio-Cultural approach to child rearing

A Comparison between a Behaviorist approach and a Socio-Cultural approach to child rearing




A COMPARISON BETWEEN A BEHAVIORIST APPROACH AND A SOCIO-CULTURAL APPROACH TO CHILD REARING

Carla Sells
University of St. Thomas
EDUC 5339
Dr. Tera Torres
July 27, 2014











Abstract
The process through which the social, physical, emotional as well as intellectual development of a child is promoted and supported for a child to grow from infancy into adulthood is what entire child rearing or parenting encompasses (Perez & Gauvain, 2009). It is therefore to be noted that child rearing goes far beyond physically bearing a child and as such involves various other relationships. As commonly perceived, the role of rearing of children is predominantly supposed to be for the biological parents although in other instances, guardians take an active role in rearing children. There are various theories and approaches through which the process of child rearing has been studied among which are ‘behaviorist approach’ and the ‘socio- cultural approach’. This paper takes a special attention on the comparison of the two approaches; the behaviorist approach and the socio-cultural approaches to child rearing.
Comparison
The behaviorist and socio-cultural approaches emanate from the styles of childrearing right from the infancy stage and these include the authoritative, authoritarian and the permissive style of child rearing. Other scholars include the attribute of ‘uninvolved’ or taking no concern at all in rearing a child to be a part of the styles. There are specific factors that have been shown to affect the process of rearing a child which include the parent’s (or guardian) social class, income, and culture as well as wealth status. Culture and social values are inherently very influential in the process of rearing a child and it is worth noting that the socio-cultural factors keep changing.
Socio-cultural approach
The socio-cultural approach plays a critical role in the study of child rearing which includes explicating relationship...

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