Jon Leidersdorff

Examining the Association Between Parenting Styles and Social Class

Started June 24, 2024

Abstract or project description

This theoretical review will examine the association between parenting styles and social class, including factors like gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. It will also be a literature review, examining various theoretical frameworks and conceptual models to propose new contributions to the literature. The paper examines how parenting styles influence, and can often be an obstacle to, upward mobility across different social groups. This paper will explore the four major parenting styles brought forth by Baumrind and her colleagues - authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and neglectful - and look at how they correlate with social classes. This paper found that authoritarian parenting is more commonly associated with lower socioeconomic groups, where obedience is valued for its role in promoting job security. Upper-class parenting often emphasizes autonomy and independence, which correlates with careers that offer greater self-direction but may involve higher risks or job insecurity. These styles, combined with the numerous opportunities afforded to children from upper-class families lead to the perpetuation of social classes.