Socioeconomic
Differences in Parenting
High SES:
-
stress happiness, curiosity, independence, creativity,
and ambition - characteristics related to success as professionals or white-collar
workers, working without supervision
-
use permissive or authoritative forms of discipline
-
talk more with children, and use more complex language
-
show more warmth & affection
Low SES:
-
stress obedience, punctuality, respect for authority,
neatness, cleanliness, staying out of trouble - important attributes for
success as blue-collar workers
-
use more restrictive, authoritarian; use power assertive
forms of discipline (toward sons)
-
tend to be more gender-role-stereotyping
Note that both parents socialize
their children to do well in the world as they know it but may serve
to perpetuate social inequalities (i.e., the poor are socialized to remain
poor).
Their children will also
differ. Within low SES, mothers are often younger, receive less prenatal
care, are more likely to have premature babies, birth complications and
babies with difficult temperament (irritable or unresponsive).
last updated December 11, 1997
