Let’s begin with a quick overview of the three
main parenting styles looked at in these studies.
Authoritarian parents are demanding and strict.
This style is high in control and low on warmth.
Authoritarian parents rule with an iron fist and a “my
way or the highway” attitude. The focus is always on
obedience, and therefore negotiation is never allowed.
They make and enforce their rules with little regard
to the child’s feelings or opinions.
Authoritative parenting is characterized by
high standards and emotional responsiveness.
Authoritative parents set appropriate limits and
explain their rules while giving their children the
resources and support needed for them to succeed.
They take their children’s feelings and opinions into
account while remaining in the leadership role. They
are measured and fair in their discipline and employ
positive discipline tools to teach their children better
behavior and self-control.
Permissive parents are low in standards and high in
warmth. They may set rules but do not often enforce
them. They are lax in teaching better behavior and
have a “kids will be kids” attitude. They may place too
much emphasis on the child’s feelings and opinions,
letting the child take the lead all too often.
In a study coming out of the Department of
Psychology and Education Sciences at Alzahra
University, authoritative parents are shown to
raise the most creative children while authoritarian
parenting actually decreases or stunts creativity.
In this study, creativity was defined as “the ability
to think in new ways in which unique solutions are
found to face present problems.”
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