Diana Baaumrind's Parenting Typology

The psychologist Diana Baumrind identified three categories of parenting styles and linked them to children’s behaviors. “Authoritative” parents is one example, parents that have strong control when necessary, but they explain why and allow them to have their own opinion.

A parent’s parenting styles are as diverse as the world we live in today. Nowadays, parents only want what is best for their children and their parenting styles plays a crucial role in the development of children which will in the long run, not only effect the child’s childhood years, but later prolong into their adult life as well.

In the early 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrid conducted a research, analyzing child-parent behavior, seeking to identify parenting styles. The Baumrid study and other further studies identified four main styles of parenting (Miller, 2010): the authoritative parenting style was characterized by fair rules and consequences; The Authoritarian parenting style was characterized by strict rules and harsh punishment; the permissive parenting style was characterized by minimal rules with little or no consequences; the uninvolved parenting style was characterized by no rules, and parent presence was almost non-existent. In this paper, I’m going to look at the authoritarian style of parenting in an attempt to draw out its characteristics and its immediate and later impacts on children impact.

Parents play the largest role in the overall development of children. During the early 1960’s, psychologist Diana Baumrind conducted experiments that were designed to identify and understand the different types of parenting. As a result of these studies, Baumrind concluded that there are four main styles of parenting, one of them being the authoritarian parenting style. In the studies, Baumrind claims that an authoritarian parent is defined as a parent who, “attempts to shape, control, and evaluate the behavior and attitudes of their children in accordance with a set standard of conduct, usually an absolute standard, theologically motivated or formulated by a higher secular authority” (Baumrind 127). Authoritarian

In __, “permissive parents are unrestraining. They make few demands and use little punishment. They may be indifferent, unresponsive, or unwilling to set limits”

Many psychologists throughout history have indulged in studies related to parenting behavior and how children are affected from such behavior. The work of Diana Baumrind, which is considered to be one of the most influential and well-studied theories of parenting behavior, was the first to identify three styles of parenting (Sclafani 44). These styles of parenting are called authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. This paper will further explain descriptions of these styles and the typical behaviors of children as a result of each style. This paper will also provide insight on the parenting style I was raised on along with my thoughts on types of discipline I might use in the

Authoritarian is only one of three parenting styles that Baumrind details. The other two styles include authoritative and permissive. These two variations in parenting styles were seen in the way my relatives and friends’ parents approached parenting. I observed how the parents of my close friend handled parenting. They maintained control over aspects in my friend’s life like school and chores but allowed the freedom to make decisions in areas of social activities. The most striking difference between my parents and my friend’s is the use of reasoning and the expression of warmth. Her parents provided justification behind their commands and or punishments while maintaining a sense of love and affection. The bond and love that is evident between my friend and her parents is not as strong in the relationship between my parents and me. The style that her parents exhibit is known as authoritative because of their focus on some parental control, use of reasoning and warmth. While on the other hand, my cousins raised their children in a completely different manor using a permissive parenting style. While they provide obvious love and affection towards their children, they fail to exert control and regulations. They did not have any real sense of rules in their household. Their children tend to act and do whatever they wanted with little to no repercussions.

With over three hundred million Americans and over six billion people worldwide parenting skills are essential to maintain a healthy society. Parenting involves many aspects and requires many skills. It is a time to nurture, instruct, and correct to develop fundamental skills children will need to be mature, responsible, and contributing adults to a society. There are four commonly identified parenting styles; authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved parenting. Of the four parenting styles, two remain on opposite ends of the parenting spectrum. These two styles; authoritarian, and permissive both have deleterious results that are often visible throughout different developmental stages, such as rebellious behavior. As well

Parenting styles have been widely defined by Baumrind into three categories, authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. Parenting styles can be defined as a pattern of attitudes in how parents choose to express and communicate with their children. These styles are categorized based on the level of nurturance, parental control and level of responsiveness (Dwairy, 2004). Authoritative style exhibits high levels of demand, responsiveness and nurturance; authoritarian style exhibits high levels of demand but low levels of responsiveness, permissive style exhibits low levels of demand but high in responsiveness and nurturance (Dwairy, 2004). These parenting styles have been proposed to have a significant impact on a child’s

The styles that Dr. Baumrind recognized were based on two aspects of parenting; parental responsiveness and parental expectation (demandingness). The aspects are determined by the parent’s characteristics on the actions towards the children. Too much or too little of either aspect of parenting can conflict with the child’s learning and behavior. A single selection of the four parenting styles is approached after determining the degree of each of the two aspects. Although there is not a perfect match for any parent, most will tend to push towards a

Thesis: The authoritative parenting style is the most effective style for producing children that have desirable traits, such as good morals, obedience, compassion and responsibility.

Psychologists have always debated the role of parenting styles and their influence on the development of children. Parenting styles can be defined as the psychological construct representing the basic strategies that parent use in raising their child (Matsumoto, Juang 2013 p.69). Parenting styles encompass two major aspects of parting those being parental responsiveness and paternal demanding. Paternal responsiveness is essentially the extent at which a parent fosters individuality, self-regulation, and self-assertion. While paternal demanding is the measure of which the parent makes the child

The parenting style in the home will result in differences in the children’s behavior. For example, an authoritarian parent is controlling, punitive and strict. Their rules are not flexible and do not tolerate expressions of disagreement. These

Therefore, one can then assume that authoritative parents can communicate and maintain a level of good communication with the child. Maccoby & Martin, 1983 (as cited in Harmon & Schrodt, 2012) promotes that exercising authoritative parenting can augment a child’s social and communication level in a positive way through nurturance, reasonable discipline, and interaction. For example, Buchanan, Maccoby, & Dornbusch, 1996; Buri, Louiselle, Misukanis, & Mueller, 1988 (as cited in Harmon & Schrodt, 2012) suggested that if a child exhibits good behavior, then he may in return be rewarded with an encouraging remark, consequently augmenting the child’s self-esteem. The child can gain confidence from this interaction and continue to build on his communication level. Buchanan, Maccoby, & Dornbusch, 1996; Buri, Louiselle, Misukanis, & Mueller, 1988 (as cited in Harmon & Schrodt, 2012) further explained that reasonable discipline expressed by authoritative parents can prevent the child from inflicting negative judgement since there is a balance: reasonable discipline should neither be too open-ended or brutal. Finally, limiting irrational restrictions and obtrusive behavior from the child can create a sense of trust and allow the child to explore some independence.

As young adults we can look back at our childhood and laugh about the smacks and punishments we got but unfortunately, some children out there are treated worse than we were treated. Some parents are ignorant to the fact that the parenting styles in which the child was nurtured affects the child’s communication and development. As proposed by Baumrind (1971) the main types of parenting styles are authoritarian, authoritative and permissive, while Arder’s article titled “Parenting Styles and Discipline Methods among Different Ethnic Groups” and Fontes and Lisa Aronson’s article, titled “Child discipline and Physical abuse in Immigrant Latino Families: Reducing Violence and Misunderstanding” suggests that there are other factors like culture that can also affect parenting styles. Learning about the different parenting styles shows how culture is equally important in the way children are nurtured. Parenting styles vary between families and cultures; each having different ways of raising their children. Although parenting differs amongst cultures but the in western culture, the variations of parenting styles fall solely on the styles proposed by Baumrind. The authoritarian style, commonly found amongst the Asian and African American culture, is one