History of Attitudes Towards Children

1. History of Attitudes Towards Children PSY 356 Schuetze

2. Ancient Egypt/Greece • Toys/games • Infanticide • Sexual Exploitation

3. Other Early Civilizations • Only basic care • “When training is premature, nothing is gained other than a great deal of work. Keep babies quiet, and do not stimulate them. Only after behavior emerges from inside can proper guidance begin.” 1st century B.C. Chinese text

4. Prevalent Early Attitude Before 17th Century • Until 17th century – no special emphasis on childhood as a separate phase of life cycle. • Children in Western Europe were not treated in distinctive ways • Not thought to be “innocent” – no protection from references to sexual matters • Children were extremely unruly, disobedient, violent • No specific medical treatments for children • Chances of survival to age 5 – 3 to 1 against child • Abandonment was tremendous problem

5. Medieval Art • 5th -15th Centuries • In Medieval art – children were depicted as immature adults; dressed as adults

6. 18th Century • Growth of factory system • Children as cheap labor • Child became special person • Moral education • Written philosophies of child rearing • Artwork

7. 18th Century • Calvin • Juvenile Depravity/original sin • John Locke • Tabula rasa • Importance of education • Jean Jacques Rousseau • Philosopher • Children have innate moral sense • Corporal punishment

8. 19th Century • Medical Advances • Darwin • Baby biography – son’s early development “By careful observation of the infant and child, one could see the descent of man (1877).” • Natural selection • G. Stanley Hall (Late 19th – 20th century) • Founder of APA • Interested in investigating “the contents of children’s minds.” • Beginning of systematic child study in the U.S.

9. 20th Century • Watson and Pavlov • Theories and research on children’s acquisition of habits • Freud • Personality development

11. 20th Century continued • Gesell • norms