The basic characteristics of childhood and its transformation in the modern world

This article analyzes the main characteristics of childhood as a social and cultural phenomenon; and also it represents different ways of learning childhood. Among the main essential characteristics of childhood are marked the following: functionness and ambivalence; integration into existing culture and experience of its personal transformation; ontogenetic specific: process of forming agency; social and cultural uniqueness, existence uniqueness, irrational domination; subinculturlity. The article also еtouches upon the problem of information specific of society and its influence on childhood main characteristics in modern stage. The author concludes that there is a variety on the level of ontogenies and on social and cultural level there is a defacement of borders between the childhood and the adult. All this shows the beginning of a new epoch of childhood which is connected with global civilizational and cultural specific of modern global society.