Section 1: The Importance of Socialization Chapter 4: Socialization

Section Preview What is socialization? The cultural process of learning to participate in group life.

Socialization and Personality Nearly all human social behavior we consider natural and normal is learned. Example: In the U.S. it is normal for husband and wife to walk side by side. In India the wife walks slightly behind the husband. Almost all aspects of social life are not natural but learned though socialization. Socialization begins at birth and continues throughout life. The most important learning occurs early in life. Case studies show that without prolonged socialization, children do not learn basics such as: Walking Talking And loving.

Social Personality How do we know socialization is important? Can we test on infants? Why or why not? The only related experimental evidence from studies of socially isolated comes from infant monkeys. Psychologist Harry Harlow completed an experiment that showed the negative effects of social isolation on monkeys (1959). Results:

Results and What We Learned Results: Harlow showed that infant monkeys need intimacy, warmth, physical contact, and comfort. As adults they became distressed, apathetic, withdrawn, and hostile. As mothers they rejected, ignored and sometimes even abused their children. Can we generalize from monkeys to humans?

Case Studies on Isolated Children Read as class the case study of Anna Isabelle What can we learn from these case studies? At the end of the hour: Section 1 Assessment Pg 114 #1-4