Cultural Capital, Concerted Cultivation, And Accomplishment Of Natural Growth In Family Life And Education
culturalcapital:objectified,embodied,andinstitutionalized.Objectifiedculturalcapitalisobjectsthatareconsideredimportanttoacertaingrouporsociety.Inordertouseandappreciatetheseobjects,onemustpossesscertainabilitiesorhavecertainqualities,suchasatitleoranexperience.SomeexamplesofobjectifiedculturalcapitalinthevideoAllYouNeedIsCasharetheluxurioushousesandcarsthatarepossessedbythepeoplewhovacationintheHamptons(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Embodiedculturalcapitalisthedispositiontowardappreciatingandunderstandingobjectifiedculturalcapital(Dumais,2005,p.421).ThepeopleintheAllYouNeedIsCashvideopossessembodiedculturalcapital,whichiswhytheyareabletoenjoyluxuriessuchaspolomatches(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Beingbredinasocietythatplacesahighvalueonthesesortsofactivitiesgivesthesepeopletheknowledgetheyneedtobeabletoenjoythem.Institutionalizedculturalcapitalmeanshavingeducationalcredentials.Inorderto
culturalcapital:objectified,embodied,andinstitutionalized.Objectifiedculturalcapitalisobjectsthatareconsideredimportanttoacertaingrouporsociety.Inordertouseandappreciatetheseobjects,onemustpossesscertainabilitiesorhavecertainqualities,suchasatitleoranexperience.SomeexamplesofobjectifiedculturalcapitalinthevideoAllYouNeedIsCasharetheluxurioushousesandcarsthatarepossessedbythepeoplewhovacationintheHamptons(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Embodiedculturalcapitalisthedispositiontowardappreciatingandunderstandingobjectifiedculturalcapital(Dumais,2005,p.421).ThepeopleintheAllYouNeedIsCashvideopossessembodiedculturalcapital,whichiswhytheyareabletoenjoyluxuriessuchaspolomatches(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Beingbredinasocietythatplacesahighvalueonthesesortsofactivitiesgivesthesepeopletheknowledgetheyneedtobeabletoenjoythem.Institutionalizedculturalcapitalmeanshavingeducationalcredentials.Inorderto
culturalcapital:objectified,embodied,andinstitutionalized.Objectifiedculturalcapitalis
objectsthatareconsideredimportanttoacertaingrouporsociety.Inordertouseandappreciate
theseobjects,onemustpossesscertainabilitiesorhavecertainqualities,suchasatitleoran
experience.SomeexamplesofobjectifiedculturalcapitalinthevideoAllYouNeedIsCash
aretheluxurioushousesandcarsthatarepossessedbythepeoplewhovacationintheHamptons
(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Embodiedculturalcapitalisthedispositiontowardappreciating
andunderstandingobjectifiedculturalcapital(Dumais,2005,p.421).ThepeopleintheAll
YouNeedIsCashvideopossessembodiedculturalcapital,whichiswhytheyareabletoenjoy
luxuriessuchaspolomatches(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Beingbredinasocietythatplacesa
highvalueonthesesortsofactivitiesgivesthesepeopletheknowledgetheyneedtobeableto
enjoythem.Institutionalizedculturalcapitalmeanshavingeducationalcredentials.Inorderto
Culturalcapital,concertedcultivation,andaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowth:three
conceptsthatarevisibleinmost,ifnotall,cultures,societies,andfamilies,butnottothenaked
eye.Althoughtheseconceptsmaybechallengingtodefinetosomeoneunfamiliarwiththem,
uponcarefulinspection,examplesofallthreeconceptscanbefoundinalmostanysituation,
despitehowtheyvarywidelyindifferentsituations.Forexample,culturalcapitalmaylook
differentandmeansomethingdifferenttoanurbanlowincomefamilythanitwouldtoa
suburbanuppermiddleclassfamily.So,whatisculturalcapital?Whatisconcertedcultivation?
Whatisaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowth?Howaretheyrelated?
Culturalcapitalisaformofprivilegethathastheabilitytohelpapersonoragroupof
peoplegainandmaintainpowerwithinasociety(Dumais,2005).Therearethreeformsof
1obtainthesecredentials,onemustusetheirobjectifiedandembodiedculturalcapital(Dumais,2005).AnexampleofthiswouldbereceivingadegreefromHarvard.Concertedcultivationisaformofchildrearingthatisprominentinmiddleandupperclassfamilieswhohaveculturalcapital.Parentsinthesefamiliesstrivetofostertheirchildrensdevelopmentthroughstimulatingconversationandstructuredleisureactivities(Lareau,2003).Theseparentsplaceanemphasisonrelationshipsbetweenchildrenandadultsandtendtousepersuasionandreasoningwiththeirchildreninordertohelpthemdeveloptheserelationships,ratherthansimplygivingthemorders.Thisparentingstyleismeanttopreparechildrenforothersettingswheretheywillneedtobeabletoeffectivelycommunicatewithauthorityfigures.Thisabilitymostsignificantlytransfersoverintotheschoolsettingwherethesechildrenareexpectedtoconversewithadultsandparticipateinastructuredenvironment,similarlytothewaytheybehaveathome(Lareau,2003).AnexampleofthisisinAllYouNeedisCashwhenthenarratordescribestheformulaforbeingsociallyaccepted,thefirststepofwhichisgettingintoagoodpreschool(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Thisshowsthatbeingacceptedinsocietymustbeorchestratedbyparentsfromtheverybeginningoftheirchildrenslives.Theseparentsmustpossessthepowerandprivilegethatcomeswithculturalcapitaltogettheirchildrenintotherightschoolenvironmentsatayoungageandultimatelysetthemupforalifeofsuccessandprosperity.Forthesereasons,childrenraisedbyparentswhouseconcertedcultivationtendtothrivebetterinsocietythanchildrenraisedbyfamilieswhodonotpossessthissameprivilege.Accomplishmentofnaturalgrowthisaformofchildrearingthatisprominentinworkingclassandlowerclassfamilieswholackculturalcapital.Inthesesituations,providingbasicnecessitiessuchasfoodissuchastrugglethattheparentsdonthavetheluxuryoftreatingtheir
1obtainthesecredentials,onemustusetheirobjectifiedandembodiedculturalcapital(Dumais,2005).AnexampleofthiswouldbereceivingadegreefromHarvard.Concertedcultivationisaformofchildrearingthatisprominentinmiddleandupperclassfamilieswhohaveculturalcapital.Parentsinthesefamiliesstrivetofostertheirchildrensdevelopmentthroughstimulatingconversationandstructuredleisureactivities(Lareau,2003).Theseparentsplaceanemphasisonrelationshipsbetweenchildrenandadultsandtendtousepersuasionandreasoningwiththeirchildreninordertohelpthemdeveloptheserelationships,ratherthansimplygivingthemorders.Thisparentingstyleismeanttopreparechildrenforothersettingswheretheywillneedtobeabletoeffectivelycommunicatewithauthorityfigures.Thisabilitymostsignificantlytransfersoverintotheschoolsettingwherethesechildrenareexpectedtoconversewithadultsandparticipateinastructuredenvironment,similarlytothewaytheybehaveathome(Lareau,2003).AnexampleofthisisinAllYouNeedisCashwhenthenarratordescribestheformulaforbeingsociallyaccepted,thefirststepofwhichisgettingintoagoodpreschool(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Thisshowsthatbeingacceptedinsocietymustbeorchestratedbyparentsfromtheverybeginningoftheirchildrenslives.Theseparentsmustpossessthepowerandprivilegethatcomeswithculturalcapitaltogettheirchildrenintotherightschoolenvironmentsatayoungageandultimatelysetthemupforalifeofsuccessandprosperity.Forthesereasons,childrenraisedbyparentswhouseconcertedcultivationtendtothrivebetterinsocietythanchildrenraisedbyfamilieswhodonotpossessthissameprivilege.Accomplishmentofnaturalgrowthisaformofchildrearingthatisprominentinworkingclassandlowerclassfamilieswholackculturalcapital.Inthesesituations,providingbasicnecessitiessuchasfoodissuchastrugglethattheparentsdonthavetheluxuryoftreatingtheir
1
obtainthesecredentials,onemustusetheirobjectifiedandembodiedculturalcapital(Dumais,
2005).AnexampleofthiswouldbereceivingadegreefromHarvard.
Concertedcultivationisaformofchildrearingthatisprominentinmiddleandupper
classfamilieswhohaveculturalcapital.Parentsinthesefamiliesstrivetofostertheirchildrens
developmentthroughstimulatingconversationandstructuredleisureactivities(Lareau,2003).
Theseparentsplaceanemphasisonrelationshipsbetweenchildrenandadultsandtendtouse
persuasionandreasoningwiththeirchildreninordertohelpthemdeveloptheserelationships,
ratherthansimplygivingthemorders.Thisparentingstyleismeanttopreparechildrenforother
settingswheretheywillneedtobeabletoeffectivelycommunicatewithauthorityfigures.This
abilitymostsignificantlytransfersoverintotheschoolsettingwherethesechildrenareexpected
toconversewithadultsandparticipateinastructuredenvironment,similarlytothewaythey
behaveathome(Lareau,2003).AnexampleofthisisinAllYouNeedisCashwhenthe
narratordescribestheformulaforbeingsociallyaccepted,thefirststepofwhichisgettingintoa
goodpreschool(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Thisshowsthatbeingacceptedinsocietymustbe
orchestratedbyparentsfromtheverybeginningoftheirchildrenslives.Theseparentsmust
possessthepowerandprivilegethatcomeswithculturalcapitaltogettheirchildrenintothe
rightschoolenvironmentsatayoungageandultimatelysetthemupforalifeofsuccessand
prosperity.Forthesereasons,childrenraisedbyparentswhouseconcertedcultivationtendto
thrivebetterinsocietythanchildrenraisedbyfamilieswhodonotpossessthissameprivilege.
Accomplishmentofnaturalgrowthisaformofchildrearingthatisprominentinworking
classandlowerclassfamilieswholackculturalcapital.Inthesesituations,providingbasic
necessitiessuchasfoodissuchastrugglethattheparentsdonthavetheluxuryoftreatingtheir
2childrenasequals.Parents,insteadofcontrollingtheirchildrensactivitiesandstimulatingtheirchildrenintellectuallywithconversations,tendtotelltheirchildrendirectlywhattodoandletthemhavemorecontrolovertheirleisureactivities.Themajordifferencehereisthattheadultsinthesituationsetboundariesbetweenthemselvesandthechildren.Thisiscalledaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowthbecauseratherthanstimulatingtheirchildrensdevelopment,theseparentsusetechniquesthatallowtheirchildrentogrowthroughthesupportoftheirfamily(Lareau,2003).ExamplesofaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowtharepresentinthevideoTammysStory.Tammyworksafulltimejobtoprovideforherfamilyandwhilesheisatwork,herchildrenarelefttofendforthemselvesanddoactivitiesoftheirchoosingtokeepthemselvesoccupied(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Herchildrenarenotaffordedthesamestimulatingconversationsandstructurethatchildrenraisedthroughconcertedcultivationwouldtypicallybeexposedto.Themaindifferencebetweenconcertedcultivationandaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowthisthepossessionofculturalcapital.Inconcertedcultivation,afamilyisabletostimulatetheirchildrensgrowthbecauseofthepowerandinfluencethattheypossessthroughculturalcapital,whereasafamilythatusesaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowthmustuseothermeanstofostertheirchildrensdevelopment.Nonetheless,regardlessofthechildrearingapproachbeingutilized,theunderlyinggoalistofurthertheirchildrensdevelopmentandtopreparethemforthefutureinwhateverwaytheycan.Concertedcultivationmoresuccessfullyaccomplishesthisgoalbecausethechildrenraisedthroughthispracticeareintroducedtothelifeskillsthatneedtosucceedfromthebeginningoftheirlives.
2childrenasequals.Parents,insteadofcontrollingtheirchildrensactivitiesandstimulatingtheirchildrenintellectuallywithconversations,tendtotelltheirchildrendirectlywhattodoandletthemhavemorecontrolovertheirleisureactivities.Themajordifferencehereisthattheadultsinthesituationsetboundariesbetweenthemselvesandthechildren.Thisiscalledaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowthbecauseratherthanstimulatingtheirchildrensdevelopment,theseparentsusetechniquesthatallowtheirchildrentogrowthroughthesupportoftheirfamily(Lareau,2003).ExamplesofaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowtharepresentinthevideoTammysStory.Tammyworksafulltimejobtoprovideforherfamilyandwhilesheisatwork,herchildrenarelefttofendforthemselvesanddoactivitiesoftheirchoosingtokeepthemselvesoccupied(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Herchildrenarenotaffordedthesamestimulatingconversationsandstructurethatchildrenraisedthroughconcertedcultivationwouldtypicallybeexposedto.Themaindifferencebetweenconcertedcultivationandaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowthisthepossessionofculturalcapital.Inconcertedcultivation,afamilyisabletostimulatetheirchildrensgrowthbecauseofthepowerandinfluencethattheypossessthroughculturalcapital,whereasafamilythatusesaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowthmustuseothermeanstofostertheirchildrensdevelopment.Nonetheless,regardlessofthechildrearingapproachbeingutilized,theunderlyinggoalistofurthertheirchildrensdevelopmentandtopreparethemforthefutureinwhateverwaytheycan.Concertedcultivationmoresuccessfullyaccomplishesthisgoalbecausethechildrenraisedthroughthispracticeareintroducedtothelifeskillsthatneedtosucceedfromthebeginningoftheirlives.
2
childrenasequals.Parents,insteadofcontrollingtheirchildrensactivitiesandstimulatingtheir
childrenintellectuallywithconversations,tendtotelltheirchildrendirectlywhattodoandlet
themhavemorecontrolovertheirleisureactivities.Themajordifferencehereisthattheadults
inthesituationsetboundariesbetweenthemselvesandthechildren.Thisiscalled
accomplishmentofnaturalgrowthbecauseratherthanstimulatingtheirchildrensdevelopment,
theseparentsusetechniquesthatallowtheirchildrentogrowthroughthesupportoftheirfamily
(Lareau,2003).Examplesofaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowtharepresentinthevideo
TammysStory.Tammyworksafulltimejobtoprovideforherfamilyandwhilesheisat
work,herchildrenarelefttofendforthemselvesanddoactivitiesoftheirchoosingtokeep
themselvesoccupied(TheCNAMChannel,2015).Herchildrenarenotaffordedthesame
stimulatingconversationsandstructurethatchildrenraisedthroughconcertedcultivationwould
typicallybeexposedto.
Themaindifferencebetweenconcertedcultivationandaccomplishmentofnatural
growthisthepossessionofculturalcapital.Inconcertedcultivation,afamilyisabletostimulate
theirchildrensgrowthbecauseofthepowerandinfluencethattheypossessthroughcultural
capital,whereasafamilythatusesaccomplishmentofnaturalgrowthmustuseothermeansto
fostertheirchildrensdevelopment.Nonetheless,regardlessofthechildrearingapproachbeing
utilized,theunderlyinggoalistofurthertheirchildrensdevelopmentandtopreparethemforthe
futureinwhateverwaytheycan.Concertedcultivationmoresuccessfullyaccomplishesthisgoal
becausethechildrenraisedthroughthispracticeareintroducedtothelifeskillsthatneedto
succeedfromthebeginningoftheirlives.
3ReferencesTheCNAMChannel(2015).Allyouneediscash.Peoplelikeus.Episode7.TheCNAMChannel(2015).Tammysstory.Peoplelikeus.Episode4.ConcertedCultivationandtheAccomplishmentofNaturalGrowthfromLareau,Annette(2003).11111UnequalChildhoods:Class,race,andfamilylife.Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,11111113.Dumais,Susan.(2005).ExcerptfromChildren'sculturalcapitalandteachers'assessmentof11111effortandability.CatholicEducation:AJournalofInquiryandPractice.Vol.8,No.4,11111418439.
3ReferencesTheCNAMChannel(2015).Allyouneediscash.Peoplelikeus.Episode7.TheCNAMChannel(2015).Tammysstory.Peoplelikeus.Episode4.ConcertedCultivationandtheAccomplishmentofNaturalGrowthfromLareau,Annette(2003).11111UnequalChildhoods:Class,race,andfamilylife.Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,11111113.Dumais,Susan.(2005).ExcerptfromChildren'sculturalcapitalandteachers'assessmentof11111effortandability.CatholicEducation:AJournalofInquiryandPractice.Vol.8,No.4,11111418439.
3
References
TheCNAMChannel(2015).Allyouneediscash.Peoplelikeus.Episode7.
TheCNAMChannel(2015).Tammysstory.Peoplelikeus.Episode4.
ConcertedCultivationandtheAccomplishmentofNaturalGrowthfromLareau,Annette(2003).
11111UnequalChildhoods:Class,race,andfamilylife.Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,
11111113.
Dumais,Susan.(2005).ExcerptfromChildren'sculturalcapitalandteachers'assessmentof
11111effortandability.CatholicEducation:AJournalofInquiryandPractice.Vol.8,No.4,
11111418439.