Principles of Effective Parenting: How Socialization Works

Grounded in pioneering research, this authoritative text examines the parenting strategies that help children and adolescents develop into productive, happy members of society. Joan Grusec gives students and practitioners a roadmap for navigating the vast, seemingly contradictory literature on parenting. Rather than advocating one "best" style of parent–child interaction, Grusec identifies five domains of socialization and shows that different ways of responding to children are appropriate for each one. Chapters on each domain--protection, reciprocity, control, guided learning, and group participation--combine theory, empirical findings, cross-cultural considerations, and real-world applications. Personal recollections from culturally diverse young adults illustrate how parents helped impart important life lessons. Learning exercises present examples of children's behavior and invite the reader to select the most effective parenting action from several possible options.

Table of Contents:
1. How Values Are Learned: An Introduction 2. Moral Values, Reasoning, Affect, and Action 3. The Protection Domain: Responsiveness to Distress and Security 4. The Reciprocity Domain: Compliance with Reasonable Requests 5. Learning Values in the Control Domain: Discipline and Reward 6. Learning Values in the Guided Learning Domain: Conversations and Reminiscences about Values 7. Learning Values in the Group Participation Domain: Observation and Engagement with Others 8. Final Thoughts References Index

About the Author :
Joan E. Grusec, PhD, is Professor Emerita in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto, Canada. Her research has centered on socialization in the family, with a particular focus on determinants of parenting and the impact of different kinds of parenting on children’s social and emotional outcomes. Dr. Grusec has authored and edited numerous research papers, chapters, and books. She is on the editorial boards of Parenting: Science and Practice and Social Development, and served as Associate Editor of Developmental Psychology.

Review :
"I recommend this text for undergraduate or graduate courses focused on parenting. Using a cohesive framework tied to different domains in which parent–child interactions occur, the book has the advantage of taking a holistic perspective that links many diverse theories and empirical findings. Grusec promotes understanding of how parents' behavior; the emotional climate of the parent–child relationship; and characteristics of parents, children, and contexts ultimately shape children's development. Concrete examples are used throughout, with attention to both how and why parenting is related to children's values, emotions, and behaviors."--Jennifer E. Lansford, PhD, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University "An outstanding book from an internationally known scholar of social and emotional development. Grusec has been a trailblazer for decades, both in forging new conceptualizations of parenting and in identifying important trends in the field. This book succinctly synthesizes a vast amount of research on parenting from Grusec's influential domains-of-socialization perspective. It is a 'must read' for anyone interested in parental socialization and the internalization of values."--Judith G. Smetana, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Rochester "Grusec not only summarizes major theoretical issues and breakthroughs, but also includes personal stories from research participants and examples of parent–child interactions. This is an important text that can provide a fresh, interesting, empirically grounded perspective for a course on parenting. Professionals working in the field of parent education and counseling will find the book useful in providing direction to their intervention strategies."--Eric Lindsey, PhD, Applied Psychology Program, Penn State Berks "An in-depth examination of a major new theory of parenting by one of the most respected theorists and researchers in the field. This is a text that undoubtedly will be widely cited and highly influential in the way that we think about parents and socialization in the future. I really like the narrative examples that are given to illustrate the effects of parents in each of the domains. I highly recommend this book to anyone who does work on families, parenting, and moral development."--Deborah J. Laible, PhD, Department of Psychology, Lehigh University "This text will greatly help students and scholars alike. Grusec uses a domain approach to clarify this confusing field we call 'socialization.'"--John C. Gibbs, PhD, Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University "This practical resource offers an in-depth examination of socialization in human development. It is relevant for those who care for or treat children, as well as for teachers and researchers of child development. Grusec effectively integrates research on socialization into a coherent, overarching, and accessible theory of parenting."--Michael F. Troy, PhD, LP, Medical Director, Behavioral Health Services, Children's Minnesota -