Module 13: The Role of Socialization Sociology in Modules Richard T. Schaefer 3rd edition

The Role of Socialization Socialization: lifelong process in which people learn appropriate attitudes, values, and behaviors Personality: person’s typical patterns of attitudes, needs, characteristics, and behavior

Social Environment: The Impact of Isolation Interaction of heredity and environment shape human development Extreme Isolation: Genie

Studies by Harry Harlow (1971) What happened to monkeys raised away from their mothers? Fearful and easily agitated Did not mate When artificially inseminated, they turned out to be aggressive mothers.

Artificial mothers - need for warmth, comfort, intimacy led to greater social attachment among the infants

Extreme Neglect: Romanian Orphans Primate Studies Social attachments develop from need for warmth, comfort, intimacy

The Influence of Heredity – if twins were raised in totally different social environments, will they have the same IQ?

Minnesota twin family study (137 sets of identical twins) Twins have similar intelligence test scores when reared apart in roughly similar social settings Different scores when reared in different social settings

The Influence of Heredity – does it matter? Genetics Temperaments Voice patterns Socialization Attitudes Values

Module 14: The Self and Socialization through the Life Course Sociology in Modules Richard T. Schaefer 3rd edition

The Self and Socialization through the Life Course View of ourselves comes from contemplation of personal qualities and impressions of how others perceive us Self: distinct identity that sets us apart from others Not a static phenomenon Interest in how individual develops and modifies sense of self as a result of social interaction

How do we come to develop self-concept We are not born with the self concept.

We develop and modify the sense of self as a result of social interaction. This self concept continues to develop and change throughout our life course.

Sociological Approaches to the Self Cooley: Looking-Glass Self View of ourselves comes from contemplation of personal qualities and impressions of how others perceive us Looking-glass self: the self is product of social interactions with other people

Sociological Approaches to the Self Mead: Stages of the Self Preparatory stage: children imitate people around them As they grow older, become more adept at using symbols

Play stage: children develop skill in communicating through symbols, and role taking occurs

Sociological Approaches to the Self Mead: Stages of the Self (continued) Game stage: children of about 8 or 9 consider several actual tasks and relationships simultaneously

Generalized other: attitudes, viewpoints, and expectations of society as a whole that a child takes into account in his or her behavior

Table 14-1: Mead’s Stages of the Self 19

Sociological Approaches to the Self Mead: Theory of the Self Self begins as privileged, central position in a person’s world As the person matures, the self changes and begins to reflect greater concern about reactions of others Significant others: individuals most important in the development of the self

Sociological Approaches to the Self Goffman: Presentation of the Self Impression management: individual learns to slant presentation of self to create distinctive appearances and satisfy particular audiences (also known as dramaturgical approach) Face-work: need to maintain proper image of self to continue social interaction

Psychological Approaches to the Self Freud Self is a social product Natural impulsive instincts in constant conflict with societal constraints Personality influenced by others (especially one’s parents) Self has components that work in opposition to each other

Table 14-2: Theoretical Approaches to Development of the Self 23

Socialization throughout the Life Course Rites of passage: means of dramatizing and validating changes in status Life course approach: looking closely at social factors that influence people throughout their lives Terms youth-hood, emerging adulthood, and not quite adult coined to describe the prolonged ambiguous status that young people in their 20s experience

Anticipatory Socialization and Resocialization Development of self is lifelong process – 2 types of socialization occur at many points in life. 1.Anticipatory socialization: person “rehearses” future occupations and social relationships. Example – high school students start working part-time 2.Resocialization: discarding former behavior (unlearn) patterns and accepting new ones during transitions in one’s life. Examples – joining military, unemployment

Anticipatory Socialization and Resocialization Total institution: regulates all aspects of a person’s life under a single authority Degradation ceremony: ritual in which individual becomes secondary and rather invisible in overbearing social environment

Agents of Socialization Continuing and lifelong socialization process involves many different social forces Family Gender roles: expectations regarding proper behavior, attitudes, and activities of males and females

Agents of Socialization School Teaches values and customs of larger society (Functionalism) Can also reinforce divisive aspects of society (Conflict perspective)

Agents of Socialization Peer Group As children grow older, peer groups increasingly assume role of Mead’s significant others Gender differences are noteworthy among adolescents What makes you popular?

Table 15-1: High School Popularity 30

Agents of Socialization Mass Media and Technology Media innovations are important agents of socialization Role of technology 12-17 age group 95% use Internet Age of use is dropping Concerns about teen use of Internet; however, use of technology not always negative New communication technologies in developing countries

Agents of Socialization Workplace Learning to behave appropriately within occupational setting is a fundamental aspect of human socialization US – highest number of teen age children working (developed countries) Religion and State Government and organized religion impact life course by reinstituting some rites of passage