Does Parenting Matter? The Challenge of the Behavioural Geneticists

The recent work of behavioural geneticists has presented some findings which directly conflict with the research of many developmental psychologists, regarding the types of environmental influences which may be most salient to child outcomes. Social scientists and professionals who work with families have long believed that child-rearing styles are a major contributor to children’s development, and to differences between families. However, the work of the behavioural geneticists highlights new areas of environmental influence, in particular non-shared environmental factors, as playing the vital role in explaining developmental differences, especially within a family. This article explores both approaches to the role of parenting in child development and challenges the common assumption that parents are primarily responsible for child outcomes. New research suggests that it may be time to explore changes to theories of socialisation which reflect the extent and limits of family influence and which integrate knowledge about genetic and environmental influences of all kinds.