‘Upbringing’ in the social constructivism paradigm

The article proposes a theoretical model of the phenomenon of “upbringing” embedded in the social constructionism paradigm. On a conceptual level, it refers to the living world shared by adults and children; it comprises both the content of the culture in which this world is situated, and the reality of the microsystem (families, dyads) created through participation and dialogue. In such formative dialogues, the inexperienced partner, i.e. the child, is introduced to the system of meanings used by the adult. This relationship is not symmetrical; it is a complementary one characterised by the constant, emotional relationship between the child and the person acting as agent, usually a parent. This complementarity is expressed through a diversity of roles characterised by a distribution of responsibilities, which sets various duties and rights for the two partners. Control is enacted by a mechanism based around the self-fulfilling expectations that the adult has towards the child. The most important advantage of the proposed approach, analysing upbringing from a social constructionist viewpoint, is that it examines the relationship between the two participants from a supra-individual perspective.