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.

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.