Parenting Styles and Moral Development in Early Childhood

A child’s mind is like wet clay, ready to be shaped by the slightest impact. Every touch leaves an imprint on a child’s mind. One learns the foundations of everything, from their desires to their Morals, in these early phases of life when they are mainly under the supervision of their parents. Hence, the parenting style has a significant impact on a child’s Morality. 

We know that the Freudian concept of the Superego is the moral watchdog over our ego. It is primarily developed during the first five years of life. The superego mainly develops in response to parental approvals and punishments. Children tend to internalise their parents’ moral standards due to the tendency to identify with their parents. From a behaviourist perspective, moral development is a product of conditioning. B.F. Skinner emphasised that reinforcement and punishment from parents teach children to act morally when such behaviours are rewarded and immoral actions are punished. 

Jean Piaget was one of the first to study in depth how a child develops moral reasoning. He talked about two main stages:-

• Heteronomous morality: Rules and regulations are passed down by authority figures. Mainly, parents are seen as absolute. 
• Autonomous morality: In this stage, a child sees rules and regulations as flexible. 

In the attachment theory by Bowlby and Ainsworth, the bond between the child and caregiver plays a crucial role in moral development. Secure attachment provides the emotional safety that allows children to explore, empathise, and internalise moral values. In this article, we focus on how different parenting styles affect a Child’s moral development.

Parenting Styles and Their Influence on Moral Development 

Diana Baumrind’s research in the 1960s 

Lay the framework for understanding how parenting behaviours shape a child’s development. She classified the parenting styles into two primary dimensions: responsiveness (warmth) and demandingness (discipline). 

1. Authoritative Parenting 

It is the parenting style marked by high responsiveness and high demandingness. The main characteristics of this parenting style are:- 

• It is Warm, responsive, and communicative 
• Sets Clear expectations and consistent discipline. 
• This parenting style encourages independence and reasoning.

Effects on Moral Development 

Authoritarian parenting is regarded as most supportive of healthy moral development. Such parents establish rules but also provide justifications for the rules, creating internalisation of values as opposed to obedience for obedience’s sake. Children brought up in this manner: 

• Tend to develop strong moral empathy.
• Learn to regulate their behaviour through internal moral reasoning.
• Exhibit prosocial behaviour 
• Act morally even without supervision. 

This approach leads the child to shift from external regulation to self-regulated moral judgment, a very crucial process in both Kohlberg’s and Piaget’s theories. 

2. Authoritarian Parenting 

In this parenting style, there is Low Responsiveness and High Demandingness. It is characterised by:- 

• Strict rules and high expectations 
• There is little to no open dialogue 
• It emphasises obedience and discipline 
• Emotionally less expressive 

Effects on Moral Development

Children of authoritarian parents tend to obey rules for fear instead of comprehension. Their children might be well-mannered, but do not have internalised moral reasoning to reflect on ethical issues. 

• They may develop a rigid sense of right and wrong. 
• Less likely to question unjust authority. 
• They tend to show low empathy and limited perspective-taking
• They may risk developing resentment or moral disengagement. 

From a Freudian perspective, this kind of parenting might lead to an overly harsh superego. From a Lacanian perspective, they may develop blind submission to symbolic authority without true reasoning. 

3. Permissive Parenting: 

A permissive parenting style is marked by High Responsiveness and Low Demandingness. It is usually characterised by: 

• An affectionate and indulgent nature 
• A person might have Few rules and rarely enforced boundaries
• The person may act as more of a “friend” than a guide. 

Effects on Moral Development: 

While emotionally nurturing, permissive parenting generally does not create a firm moral framework. Kids might have difficulty with self-control and respecting boundaries. 

• The child may not internalise the social norms in their environment.
• They may have Poor impulse control and difficulty delaying gratification
• Confusion between personal desire and ethical behaviour 
• Such children have an Increased risk of egocentric or narcissistic traits. 

Permissive parents usually miss the chance to lead children through moral dilemmas or educate them on accountability. From a behaviourist standpoint, the inconsistency in reinforcement works against the learning of moral consequences. 

4. Neglectful (Uninvolved) Parenting

This type of parenting has Low Responsiveness and Low Demandingness. It is usually characterised by:- 

• Emotional detachment from the child. 
• Little supervision or engagement from the parents’ side 
• Few rules or expectations are implemented for the child. 

Effects on Moral Development: 

This style of upbringing can be most harmful to a child’s moral development. Lacking behavioural guidance or emotional support, children usually do not become empathetic, conscious, or prosocial. 

• Such children are at a high risk of antisocial behaviour. 
• No proper moral compass leads to a poor understanding of right and wrong.
• They might have difficulty forming meaningful relationships 
• Weak or absent moral emotions like guilt or compassion. 

Attachment theory emphasises the point that children require a stable emotional foundation to internalise values of morality. Neglectful parenting interferes with the initial bond and denies children the emotional support needed for ethical development. 

Moral Emotions and Parenting

Moral development is not only about cognition; it is also about moral feelings such as guilt, shame, empathy, and pride. Parents are central in defining these emotional reactions: 

• By validating and labelling emotions, parents help children develop empathy. 
• By teaching things like apologising or making amends, parents promote moral responsibility. 
• Overuse of guilt or shame can create toxic internal dialogues, which are harmful to authentic moral reasoning. 

Thus, emotionally responsive parenting that balances affect with ethics nurtures not only a moral mind but a moral heart. 

Conclusion

Parenting styles deeply influence not only the way children act but who they are as individuals. Of the four styles, the most productive in fostering a moral compass based on empathy, responsibility, and critical thinking is authoritative parenting, characterised by warmth, communication, and firm expectations. Children do not learn morality solely through rules or discipline; they learn it through relationships, emotions, and meaningful conversations. Parenting that honours the child’s autonomy while modelling their behaviour sets the stage for lifelong moral integrity. 

On the other hand, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful styles all create roadblocks to moral development. Through fear-induced compliance, emotional excess, or disregard, all impede the development of an inner compass to direct right from wrong. With intentional, balanced, and emotionally intelligent parenting, we don’t just raise obedient children—we raise reflective, empathetic, and morally grounded human beings. 

FAQs

1. Why is Early childhood important for Moral development? 

Early childhood is a critical period when foundational moral values are shaped. A child’s mind is highly impressionable, and their understanding of right and wrong is heavily influenced by parental interactions, emotional bonding, and behavioural reinforcement during this stage. 

2. How does Freud’s concept of the Superego relate to parenting?

According to Freud, the superego acts as the moral component of personality and develops during the first five years of life. It forms through parental approval, punishments, and the child’s identification with their parents. Parenting styles directly influence how strong or rigid this moral framework becomes. 

3. What is the role of attachment in Moral Development? 

Attachment theory (Bowlby and Ainsworth) suggests that secure emotional bonds with caregivers foster emotional safety, empathy, and exploration. A securely attached child is more likely to internalise moral values and develop prosocial behaviours. 

4. Which Parenting style is most effective for moral development? 

Authoritative parenting, which balances warmth and discipline, is considered the most effective. It encourages moral reasoning, empathy, and self-regulation, leading to children who act morally even in the absence of external supervision. 

5. Can strict Parenting (Authoritarian style) make children more moral? 

Not necessarily. While authoritarian parenting may produce well-behaved children, it often leads to rule-following out of fear rather than true moral understanding. These children may lack empathy, question authority less, and struggle with internal moral reasoning. 

6. What are the risks of Permissive Parenting on a Child’s Morality?

Permissive parenting, though emotionally warm, lacks structure. It may result in children with poor impulse control, blurred boundaries between desire and ethics, and difficulty with accountability. 

7. How does neglectful parenting affect Moral Development? 

Neglectful parenting—low in both warmth and discipline—is the most damaging. It deprives children of emotional support and guidance, leading to a lack of empathy, antisocial behaviour, and poor moral decision-making.