Adultcentrism: what is it and how does it affect children and society?

In adultcentrism, adults are at the top of the social hierarchy. Let's see why.

From the earliest societies and human civilizations until just three centuries ago, childhood and adolescence were considered as distinct stages of great importance for the proper development of the human being, but children and adolescents were considered as small adults in formation, having practically the same obligations, thus feeding the perspective of adultcentrism.

Adultcentrism is a concept that refers to the social hegemony of people who are in the adult stage, so they are the ones who have the same obligations.Therefore, they are the ones who have political, economic and social control and power. In turn, they are considered as the reference group and those who are at the top of the social hierarchy.

In this article we will see in more detail what the concept of adultcentrism consists of and what its origins are.

What is adultcentrism?

The concept known as anthropocentrism refers to the social supremacy of adults over children and adolescents.It may even be developed over youth and the elderly, within a society.

It has to do with the idea that adults are hegemonic power holders and are also the reference group for the social and cultural vision of the environment in which they live.

In general, adultcentrism sustains a vision of the world and of society in general that is deeply rooted in values according to which the group of adults has the right to possess the power and the power and, therefore, are considered the group of people at the top of the hierarchical pyramid of society, with all that this entails.

In this sense, the other social groups, classified by age, which are not within the adult stage, have been excluded from the central thinking of societies with an adultcentric structural and hierarchical system.

From the adultcentric point of view, the adult stage is considered the representation of those people who compose a well-formed and successful model to which younger people should aspire. to which the youngest should aspire, so that, according to this model, children and adolescents should prepare themselves to be successful adults who fulfill their work and the aspirations set by their society in order to be considered as such.

This is why adultcentrism takes advantage of political power, the Church or other religious institutions, and the media to instill its values in all citizens, ensuring that they are also transmitted from parents to children.

What is the origin of adultcentrism?

Adultcentrism has been present throughout much of the history of human beings, since for many years the concept of childhood was for many years the concept of childhood was not what we know today, but rather children were treated as "little adults" in the process of development who usually had to work and help with the same tasks as adults. At the same time, boys and girls used to dress in a very similar way to adults, since children's fashion did not manage to impose itself at least until the 17th century, arriving in some societies even later.

If we look at literature, the genre of children's stories and books did not appear until just three centuries ago. Before that time, the developmental stage of children and adolescents was not the developmental stage of children and adolescents was not considered, as it is today, a phase that required special attention, due to the great relevance of a correct development in later adulthood.The development of children and adolescents was not considered, as it is today, a phase that required special attention, due to the great relevance of a correct development in later adulthood.

On the other hand, several historians and sociologists affirm that the industrial revolution stage was key for the advances in the consideration towards children and adolescents, being largely thanks to the technological advances that provided the possibility for children to be dispensable at work, so they could have more time to play, have fun, explore, learn and, above all, interact with other people of the same age, being all these activities and others of the same style very relevant in the correct development in childhood and adolescence.

Adultcentrism and children's rights

In 1959 the Declaration of the Rights of the Child was approved by all the States belonging to the Organization of the United Nations (UN), which supposed an important advance in the consideration and recognition of the rights of the children to develop and grow with good health. the consideration and recognition of the rights of children to develop and grow up in good health, so that they should be cared for in a healthy way.Therefore, they should receive special attention and care, the right to school education and many other rights that are also important for the proper development of children and adolescents.

Today, the vast majority of the population agrees that children should receive a fundamental school education and also that society and the state should provide them with a series of facilities and benefits, as well as special protection, and that this special consideration should last until they reach the age of majority.

However, in spite of these great and important advances in this field, in many cases, albeit indirectly, there is still a social vision from the point of view of the adult, there is still a social vision based on adultcentrism, due to the fact that it is common to continue taking adults as a reference point. and it is not uncommon to find cases in which children are valued more for what they can become when they are adults than for what they are when they are children.

It is also frequent that this vision of adultcentrism influences interpersonal relationships and we all, or almost all of us, have heard some of the following phrases: "when adults are talking, children shut up", "I am right because I am the adult and you are still a child", "stop behaving like a child", "you will understand when you grow up" and many others like that, without listening to the child's opinion; so that it will be more difficult for the child to learn to express himself assertively respecting the opinion of others.

Of course, children should respect their parents and obey them when what they are looking for is always the best for them, but what we are referring to here is those situations in which children do not feel listened to by adults and do not feel that they are being listened to. do not feel listened to by adults and their opinions carry less weight.It should be important that their opinions are taken into account, so that they learn to dialogue and express their opinions without entering into conflict thanks to the fact that they have developed a dialectic since childhood.

Adultcentrism tends to take into account the perspective and opinions of adults over younger people, which tends to condition social relations in all areas, so that there are often parents who do not listen to the opinions of their children or even that within a company the ideas of younger people are not taken into account even though perhaps, being more innovative, they could be what the company needs to move forward. However, it is common to always opt for the opinion of the adult over the younger person.

Its relationship with the authoritarian educational style

Adultcentrism can encourage adults who have this vision to have an authoritarian style in the education of their children, so that parents dictate the way things should be done, but from a rigid and inflexible position, so that children must obey them without being able to express their opinion.In this way, parents dictate the way things should be done, but from a rigid and inflexible position, so that children must obey them without being able to express their opinion.

Under this prism of adultcentrism, parents do not conceive the possibility of listening to their children's opinion regarding certain issues that concern them and it is also common for parents to be demanding with their children and not very affectionate.

Therefore, adultcentrism in the educational style is reflected in those parents that express little affection explicitly, are not very open to dialogue and to listening to their children's opinions, and also tend to impose rigid rules and limits.They may punish their children severely when they break the rules.

According to studies on educational styles, it has been found that children who receive an authoritarian educational style tend to have low levels of self-esteem, immaturity, inability to make their own decisions, low capacity for self-control, high levels of impulsivity and little tenacity or persistence in achieving their goals.

On the other hand, there is the democratic educational stylein which parents are more affectionate with their children, maintain good communication, so that their children can express their opinion and their parents explain in a reasoned manner why they should behave in a certain way, as well as explaining and justifying limits, rules and restrictions in a reasoned manner.

By following a democratic educational style, it has been shown that children feel supported and secure when communicating with their parents; they will also have good self-esteem, correct behavior and good dialectics, thanks to a correct development of social and communicative skills.