Major Contributions, Awards, and Honors
During her lifetime, Harris has authored and co-authored many textbooks such as "The Child" (Prentice-Hall 1984) and "Infant and Child". Her theory on child development focuses on the effects of peers on development. This was contrary during the time because it was believed that the parents had the most profound effect on a child's growth. It was on this topic that her book "The Nurture assumption" is based on.
In her book, Harris argues that parent's cannot be the main influence on the development of a child because their genes are a variable of sorts. For example, she says, if a child with aggressive parents is also aggressive it doesn't necessarily mean that the cause is the way the child was raised a taught, but rather it may be that aggressiveness is a trait passed down by genetics. (http://www.ahsd.org/social_studies/williamsm/The%20Power%20of%20Peers.pdf)
In her book, Harris argues that parent's cannot be the main influence on the development of a child because their genes are a variable of sorts. For example, she says, if a child with aggressive parents is also aggressive it doesn't necessarily mean that the cause is the way the child was raised a taught, but rather it may be that aggressiveness is a trait passed down by genetics. (http://www.ahsd.org/social_studies/williamsm/The%20Power%20of%20Peers.pdf)
Harris' Theory and Misinterpritaions
Harris clearly states that a child needs its parents' love and guidance. Some people who do not read her book may misunderstand her theory and think that it means if a child is mistreated by its parents, the peer factor effecting its development will fix everything. That is not what she says. She merely states that peer groups hold a lot of power when it comes to changing the personalities of a child.
She even uses herself as an example of this. She says that when her family moved to Tuscon, she found her peers to be focused on appearances and she felt cast out as she did not share any of the same interests. She wrote that "the kids in that snooty suburb had changed my personality"
(http://judithrichharris.info/)
She even uses herself as an example of this. She says that when her family moved to Tuscon, she found her peers to be focused on appearances and she felt cast out as she did not share any of the same interests. She wrote that "the kids in that snooty suburb had changed my personality"
(http://judithrichharris.info/)