Diana Baumrind (psychologist)
Diana Baumrind was a prominent psychologist known for her influential research in developmental psychology, particularly regarding parenting styles. Born on August 23, 1927, in New York City, she pursued higher education in philosophy and psychology, eventually earning her doctorate from the University of California. Baumrind's seminal work identified three primary parenting styles—authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative—each characterized by different balances of demandingness and responsiveness. Authoritarian parents are highly demanding but unresponsive, often leading to children with anxiety and low self-esteem. In contrast, permissive parents are responsive yet undemanding, resulting in children who may struggle with limits but often possess strong social skills. Authoritative parenting, which combines high demandingness with high responsiveness, is linked to well-adjusted children who exhibit confidence and self-control. Later in her career, Baumrind identified a fourth style, neglectful parenting, marked by low demandingness and responsiveness, often resulting in negative outcomes for children. Her research has significantly shaped the understanding of parenting's impact on child development, providing valuable insights for both parents and educators. Baumrind passed away in September 2018 after a car accident, leaving behind a lasting legacy in psychology.
Diana Baumrind (psychologist)
Developmental psychologist
- Born: August 23, 1927
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: September 13, 2018
- Place of death: Oakland, California
Education: Hunter College, University of California, Berkeley
Significance: Diana Baumrind is a developmental psychologist who is well known for her research on parenting styles and the effects a parenting style has on a child.
Background
Diana Baumrind was born Diana Blumberg on August 23, 1927, in a Jewish neighborhood in New York City. She was the first of two daughters born to Hyman and Mollie Blumberg. She had a close relationship with her father, an atheist. As a teen, Baumrind enjoyed discussing politics with her uncle and aunt, Isadore and Hannah Blumberg. Baumrind attended night classes to learn more about Marxism and economics at the Catholic Worker newspaper office and House of Hospitality in a poor section of the city.
Baumrind earned bachelors' degrees in philosophy and psychology from Hunter College in 1948 and a master's and doctorate degree from the University of California, where she studied various types of psychology.
Developmental Psychology
After completing her education, Baumrind began practicing developmental psychology. While working with preschool children, Baumrind noticed that children often had a distinct set of personality traits. Upon further investigation, Baumrind realized that each set of traits strongly correlated with a parenting style.
After years of investigation, she theorized that three dominant Western parenting styles were affecting children in a variety of ways. Each parenting style utilized a different ratio of demandingness and responsiveness. In Baumrind's work, demandingness refers to the extent of control parents extend over their children. Responsiveness refers to how accepting and sensitive parents appear to their children.
Authoritarian parenting, the first parenting style, is very demanding but lacks responsiveness. Authoritarian parents tend to be conservative and conforming. They are rigid in terms of rules and discipline and create a feeling that the parents are in complete control. Any breach of rules established by the parents is considered serious, and children are punished thoroughly for infractions. Authoritarian parents resist explaining rules or punishments, insisting that they should be obeyed without question.
Children with authoritarian parents are often tentative when asked to think independently. They willingly obey most authority figures and have internalized their parents' standard of blind obedience. They are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol than their peers but are also less socially skilled. Children with authoritarian parents are statistically more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem than their peers.
Permissive parenting, the second parenting style, is high in responsiveness but low in demandingness. Permissive parents tend to be more concerned with being their child's friend than adopting a traditional parental role. They allow the child to make most of his or her own decisions, refusing to enforce rules or parental authority. Instead, they patiently explain rules and request that the children follow them. They do not expect their children to conform to the same standards as adults, often allowing them to misbehave or act out. In the home of permissive parents, children are always allowed a say in family decisions.
Children with permissive parents tend to be more insecure than their peers. They struggle with the concept of limitations and tend to resist authority figures. They may push limits, attempting to experiment with how much leniency they can get out of any situation. Children with permissive parents tend to have excellent social skills, a high self-esteem, and low levels of depression and anxiety. However, they are prone to impulsive behavior and experimentation with drugs and alcohol.
Authoritative parenting, the third style, is high in both demandingness and responsiveness. Authoritative parents maintain control of their household through firm rules that are thoroughly explained to the children while still allowing the children to have a moderate say in important decisions. Authoritative parents manage to be assertive without being overly restrictive. They encourage their children to reach for their full potential without harshly regulating their lives. Authoritative parents use praise and other forms of positive reinforcement to guide their children's behavior.
Children of authoritative parents tend to be well-balanced individuals. They have learned that obeying rules and living up to societal standards gets them praise from authority figures, so they do so without fear. They have both high social skills and a well-developed sense of self-control. They are confident, warm, and strive to achieve their desires.
Later in her career, Baumrind added a fourth style of parenting, neglect. Neglectful parenting is low in both demandingness and responsiveness. Neglectful parents remain emotionally unattached from their children's lives. They do not demand much from their children and care very little for their emotional needs.
Children of neglectful parents have a higher chance of suffering from depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem than their peers. They also have a higher instance of substance abuse and general delinquency. These children tend to be more impulsive than their peers and score lower in most school programs.
Baumrind died in September 2018 following a car accident.
Impact
Baumrind's work significantly affected the field of developmental psychology. It has given other developmental psychologists a framework to use when discussing various parenting styles. It is now commonly accepted that specific styles of parenting tend to certain personality traits in children. Educators and developmental psychologists use this knowledge to coach parents on how to encourage or discourage specific behaviors in their children.
Principal Works
Effects of Authoritative Parental Control on Child Behavior, 1966
The Influence of Parenting Style of Adolescent Competence and Substance Use, 1991
Bibliography
"4 Parenting Syles – Characteristics and Effects." Parenting for Brain, www.parentingforbrain.com/4-baumrind-parenting-styles/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2017.
"Diana Baumrind: Parenting Styles and Theory." Study.com, 2017, study.com/academy/lesson/diana-baumring-parenting-styles-theory.html. Accessed 5 Sept. 2017.
"Diana Baumrind's 3 Parenting Styles." Positive Parenting Ally, 2017, www.positive-parenting-ally.com/3-parenting-styles.html. Accessed 5 Sept.2017.
"Diana Blumberg Baumrind." 19Psychologist, sites.google.com/site/19psychologist/diana-baumrind. Accessed 5 Sept. 2017.
"Influence of Parenting Style on Child Development." Boundless, 2017, www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/human-development-14/infancy-and-childhood-72/influence-of-parenting-style-on-child-development-280-12815/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2017.
"The Authoritative Parenting Style: Warmth, Rationality, and High Standards." Parenting Science, 2017, www.parentingscience.com/authoritative-parenting-style.html. Accessed 5 Sept. 2017.
"The Baumrind Theory of Parenting Styles." Livestrong, 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/1001090-baumrind-theory-parenting-styles/. Accessed 5 Sept., 2017.
"Types of Parenting Styles and How to Identify Yours." Developmental Psychology at Vanderbilt, my.vanderbilt.edu/developmentalpsychologyblog/2013/12/types-of-parenting-styles-and-how-to-identify-yours/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2017.