Release Date: January 7, 2008
Media Contact: Stephen King, External Relations
E-mail: Stephen.King@uregina.ca
Phone: 306-585-5439
Mobile: 306-536-4312
Fax: 306-585-4997
Do parents really matter?
Are you parenting the “right” way? Are you enrolling your infant daughter in swimming and music lessons? Do you reason with your three-year old son as he kicks and screams on the floor in the Wal-Mart aisle? If so, you are sure to raise children who will grow up to be well-adjusted, competent and successful adults. Or so you might think.

In the latest installment of the Coffee House Controversies series, a lecture series hosted by the University of Regina’s Faculty of Arts, Lynn Loutzenhiser will argue that our genes and peers have a greater influence on our personalities than was previously thought, and our parents have much less. On Thurs., Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in Chapters bookstore behind the Southland Mall (2625 Gordon Road), she will take us through a brief review on the literature of socialization, genetics and parenting and will try to answer the question, “do parents really matter?”

Loutzenhiser is an assistant professor in the U of R’s Department of Psychology. She received her M.A. in applied social psychology from the University of Guelph, and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Saskatchewan. She worked as a child clinical psychologist for the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region prior to accepting her position at the U of R in 2003. Her research interests lie in the areas of parenting, with a focus on first-time parents, and early childhood development. She is also the mother of two children.

Coffee House Controversies aims to bring the research interests of Faculty of Arts members to the community. Speakers give an informal 20-minute talk focusing on a controversial topic of interest to the general public. The talks are intended to encourage the open exchange of ideas. Twenty minutes of discussion follow each talk, during which members of the general public can ask questions or raise issues with the speaker or other audience members. The events are free and open to the public. Contact the Faculty of Arts at 585-4226 for more information.