Parents "don't matter"?

This is a perfect example of the limitations of traditional psychology. By finding that kids are dramatically shaped by their peer relationships, Harris concludes that parents have no effect on personality development. She operates from a scientific model that tries to examine things in isolation from one another, like peer influence and parental influence. But of course, parents have a dramatic effect on peer selection, and influential parents can also have an effect on those peers, and of course, none of these influences are static, once and for all effects--they are all happening over a length of time, within small interactions between parents, children, peers, peers' parents, teachers, coaches, extended family, media, movies, etc. Isolating one factor as so determinant that all the others "don't matter" is as faulty a reasoning as saying that because heredity is so influential in determining heart disease potential, that diet and exercise "don't matter."

Here's the article in question:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1881384,00.html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar

Comments

[twitter.com/MarjieKnudsen]

I hadn't seen that Time article until now. It's disappointing when research is skewed to sell media.

At least we know that teens seem to be happiest being with their parents. See Michele Borba's blog:
What really makes teens happy? Surprise survey results: We’re at the top! (http://www.micheleborba.com/blog/2010/07/20/what-really-makes-teens-happy-apmtv-survey-real-surprising-results/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)

Huff Post recently posted an article on the problem of research being used to exaggerate a story. It's a great common sense read:

Why Parents and Journalists Need to "Speak Research"

(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kleeman/screen-time-screeds----wh_b_658738.html)

[Greg Cynamon]

Parents don't matter? -are we supposed to ask such question? of course they are...our parents play an important role for our holistic growth..and I think everyone knows it..