Two Worlds of Childhood: U.S. and U.S.S.R.

In this landmark experimental study, Urie Bronfenbrenner, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Cornell University, Provides insights into childhood development through an incisive comparison between American and Soviet education that clearly illustrates the basic methods in each country. Dr. Bronfenbrenner finds that the Soviet child, both in and out of school, grows up in an enviroment that encourages him to look beyond his own immediate gratification to the needs and expectations of Soviet society. By contrast, the American child is exposed to a largely accidental process of development by which he is actually brought up by his peers, in an atmosphere pervaded by subtle opposition to the standards of adult society, and by the ubiquitous television set which significantly contributes to his potential for antisocial behavior.