Final answer:
Diana Baumrind is the researcher who developed the concept of four parenting styles based on warmth and restrictiveness versus permissiveness, with authoritative parenting being the most recommended in American society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The researcher who used the dimensions of warmth and coldness, and restrictiveness and permissiveness to develop four parenting styles was Diana Baumrind.
Baumrind's seminal work in the early 1970s established a framework that categorized parenting into four styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved.
Authoritative parenting, which combines high warmth with moderate control, is often associated with the most positive child outcomes, including high self-esteem and good social skills, especially in American society.
It is important to note that cultural factors can influence the effectiveness of different parenting styles, as suggested by researchers such as Small (1999).