Socializing the Individual Sociology / Chapter 5 / Mr. Niño

Section 5.1 Personality Development

5.1 Objectives The four factors of personality development How isolation in childhood affects development Define Personality, heredity, instinct, sociobiology, aptitude, feral children

Personality Define personality Personality Personality—the sum total of all behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and values that are characteristic of an individual Write some nouns/adjectives that describe your personality Personality Social skill/appeal Characteristic: humorous, assertive Determines acclimation to environment and situational reaction Develops and changes throughout lifetime

Nature vs. Nurture What determines personality? Nature or nurture? Nature argument: human behavior is instinctual in origin Heredity—the transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to children Instinct—unchanging, biologically inherited behavior Ex: birds build nests and migrate

Nature vs. Nurture Nurture argument: human behavior is the result of social environment and learning Humans can be conditioned/trained Ex: Pavlov’s dog Sociobiology—the systematic study of the basis of all social behavior Supports the nature viewpoint Cultural characteristics and behavioral traits (religion, cooperation, envy) are rooted in the genetic makeup of humans

Personality Development Factors Heredity Physical: body build, hair/eye color, skin Aptitudes—a capacity to learn a particular skill or body of knowledge Ex: music, art, sports Heredity provides limits but does not determine

Personality Development Factors Birth Order Only child vs. Siblings Order: First (achievement-oriented, conservative), Last (social, affectionate, friendly, liberal), Middle (open-minded, friendly, loyal)

Personality Development Factors Parental Characteristics Age (twenties vs. thirties) Education and occupation Religion and culture

Personality Development Factors Cultural Environment Determines basic types of personalities Provides model personalities Ex: U.S. (competitiveness, assertiveness, individualism) Male vs. Female treatment (interests, activities, clothing, speech, habits)

Isolation in Childhood Feral Children—wild or untamed children who are isolated in homes by parents or family members few human characteristics No reasoning, manners, control of bodily functions Examples: Anna (confined to an attic) Isabelle (confined to a dark room) Genie (confined for 13 years)

Section 5.2 The Social Self

5.2 Objectives How a person’s sense of self emerges Theories of socialization process Define Socialization, self, looking-glass self, role-taking, significant others, generalized other, I, me Identify Locke, Cooley, Mead

5.2 Objectives How a person’s sense of self emerges Theories of socialization process Define Socialization, self, looking-glass self, role-taking, significant others, generalized other, I, me Identify Locke, Cooley, Mead

The Social Self At birth, human beings cannot: Talk, walk, feed, or protect Transformed through socialization—the interactive process through which people learn basic skills A sense of self—your conscious awareness of possessing a distinct identity—is developed

Locke: The Tabula Rasa John Locke (English Philosopher) Each human being is a tabula rasa “clean slate” Born without personality Social experience creates personality Infants can be molded into any type of person

Cooley: The Looking-Glass Self Charles Horton Cooley (interactionist) Looking-Glass Self Interactive process that develops self image How we imagine we appear to others Others are a mirror, reflecting back the image we project through their reactions to our behavior Three Step Process 1) we imagine how we appear 2) we reflect on how others judge us 3) we develop feelings about ourselves

Mead: Role-Taking George Herbert Mead (interactionist) Beyond how we see ourselves as others see us Role-taking—pretending to take on the role of others; anticipating what others expect of us. Internalize expectations of “close ones” or significant others (parents, siblings, relatives) As we grow, significant others become less imp. Instead, generalized other—the attitudes, expectations, viewpoints of society

Mead: Role-Taking (cont.) Role-taking three step process Imitation (2-3 years) Play (3-6) Games (6-11) Role-taking develops sense of self The Self consists of two parts “I” the unsocialized, spontaneous, self-interest “Me” aware of expectations, attitudes of society

Erving Goffman Dramaturgy Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) Social interaction is like a drama being performed on a stage People are audience & judge of character Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) Sociologist Psychologist Political Scientist “All the world’s a stage…”

“Looking Glass Self” Interview To better understand how your socialized behavior is formed, you will interview family, friends, and teachers. Focus on questions that describe your personality. Interview 3 family members, 2 friends and 1 teacher.

Section 5.3 Agents of Socialization

Objectives Identify most important agents of socialization in the U.S. Family and Education as important social institutions Define Agents of socialization, peer group, mass-media, total institution, resocialization

Agents of Socialization Locke, Cooley, Mead provide general theories of socialization process Agents of Socialization—are specific individuals, groups, and institutions that enable socialization to take place.

Agents of Socialization Primary Agents:

The Family Most important, principal socializer Deliberate vs. Unintended Socializers Deliberate: father teaches child about honesty, courtesy of others; mothers instructs how to save money Unintended: father teaches child to be polite but child sees father being impolite Process differs family to family One-parent families Other family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles) Subgroups: racial, ethnic, class, religion, geography

The Peer Group Peer Group—a primary group composed of individuals of roughly equal age and similar social characteristics. Influential during pre-teen/adolescence Peer acceptance requires adaptation of values, standards, views of the group Family=norms/values of larger culture Peers=norms/values of subcultures

The School Occupies large amount of time (30 wk/year) Deliberate socialization Classes teach deliberate skills Reading, writing, math, socializing Extracurricular prepare for real life Ex: dances, clubs, athletics Transmit cultural values Patriotism, responsibility, citizenship Teachers as role models (unintended)

The Mass Media No face-to-face contact Mass media—instruments of communication that reach large audiences Books, films, internet, social media, radio, TV Most influential?