Parenting Styles - Psychology Definition of the Week

Definition: In a famous study conducted in the 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind utilized naturalistic observation, parental interviews and other research methods to study more than 100 preschool-aged children. She identified four important dimensions of parenting:

• Disciplinary strategies
• Warmth and nurturance
• Communication styles
• Expectations of maturity and control

Based on her observations, she identified three different styles of parenting. Later, other researchers suggested the addition of a fourth style. The four styles of parenting that have been described by researchers are authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and uninvolved parenting. Learn more about parenting styles

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