Which parenting style is most likely to produce obedient yet less self-reliant children?

• A. Authoritarian
• B. Permissive
• C. Authoritative
• D. Uninvolved

Answer: (C)

A key idea here is how warmth and control shape a child’s behavior and independence. When parents stress strict obedience, enforce rules rigidly, and punish misbehavior with little emotional warmth, children learn to comply to avoid punishment rather than to think for themselves. They follow directions well but don’t get practice using their own judgment or solving problems on their own, so self-reliance tends to be weaker.

In contrast, warmth with clear, reasonable boundaries encourages children to cooperate while also building autonomy and confidence. Permissive environments can produce obedience only when rules are not strongly enforced, and uninvolved parenting usually undermines both obedience and self-reliance. So the pattern described—obedience without strong self-reliance—fits the parenting style that emphasizes control and conformity, often labeled authoritarian.