Childhood Knowledge Organiser
Childhood Knowledge Organiser
Childhood Knowledge Organiser
Ways in which Childhood is socially constructed Evaluation Why has society become more
child-centred?
Modern Pilcher argues that childhood is a -Wagg argues that
western period of ‘separateness’ distinct childhood is socially
notion of from adult life. constructed – there is
Childhood -laws which regulate what children are no single universal
allowed, required, or forbidden to do childhood experienced
-Differences in dress + products or services
Pilcher e.g toys, food, books entertainment by all. The only
-Childhood is viewed as a ‘golden difference between
age’ of innocence + happiness childhood and
-Children viewed as vulnerable + in adulthood is biological
need of protection from the dangers maturity levels
of the adult world = they must be -Different cultures
kept ‘quarantined’+ separate from it construct or define
-Children lead lives of leisure + play childhood differently
+ are largely excluded from paid -In western cultures –
work children are viewed as
vulnerable + unable to
fend for themselves
-Other cultures do not
necessarily see a big
difference between
children + adults
Cross-cultural Benedict argues that children in
differences simpler, non-industrial societies are
generally treated differently from
Benedict their modern western counterparts
in 3 ways:
1. They take responsibility at
an early age – Punch’s study of
childhood in rural Bolivia = 5-year-
olds expected to take work
responsibilities in home /
community
2. Less value is placed on the
children showing obedience
to authority
3. Children’s sexual behaviour
is often viewed differently -
Trobiand Islanders took an
attitude of ‘tolerance and amused
interest’ towards children’s sexual
exploration + activities
-Age of consent is different across
the world
In non-industrial societies there is a
much less dividing line between the
behaviour expected of children and
that expected of adults.
Changes over The position of children differs over Pollock argues that it is Ariés + shorter take a march of
time time as well as between different more correct to say that progress view and argue that
societies = childhood today is a in the Middle Ages children today are much more
Aries relatively recent ‘invention’ society had a different cared for, protected and
Shorter notion of childhood educated, they enjoy better
= MARCH OF Ariés argues that in the Middle Ages from today’s health and have more rights
PROGRESS ‘the idea of childhood did not exist’: than those of previous
VIEW -Children were not seen as having a generations. This is shown by;
different ‘nature’ or needs from
adults -Laws restricting child labour +
-In the Middle Ages childhood as a excluding children from paid
separate age-stage was short = work = children go from
children entered wider society on economic assets to economic
much of the same terms as adults – liabilities
they worked at an early age, often
in the household of another family. -The introduction of compulsory
-Children were viewed as ‘mini- schooling in 1880 + making the
adults’ with the same rights, duties school -leaving age later
+ skills as adults e.g the law often
made no distinction between -Child protection + welfare
children + adults + children often legislation
faced the same charges =1889 Prevention of Cruelty to
-Ariés viewed artwork from this Children Act
period, where there was no =1989 Children Act
difference between children +
adults except that they were -Declining family size + Lower
drawn/painted on a smaller scale – infant mortality rates have
children appear without ‘any encouraged parents to make a
characteristics of childhood’ – they greater financial + emotional
were wearing the same clothes + investment in the fewer children
working + playing together they have now
Conflict View