Socialization Part II

Processes of Socialization Whenever change occurs over the course of your life, you will learn new behaviors and skills. This learning is important to socialization.

First Day of School Poem She started school this morning, And she seemed so very small. As I walked there beside her In the Kindergarten hall. Oh how I longed to stay with her And keep her by the hand To lead her through the places That she couldn’t understand. And something closely kin to fear Was mingled with my pride. I knew she would no longer be A baby by my side. And as she took her place beside the others in the class, I realized how all too soon Those first few years can pass. But she must have her chance to live, To work her problems out, The privilege to grow and learn What life is all about. Remembering, I saw her as She first learned how to walk. The words that we alone made out When she began to talk. And I must share my little girl With friends and work and play; She’s not a baby anymore – She’s in Kindergarten today. This little girl so much absorbed In learning how to write. It seems as though she must have grown To girlhood overnight. My eyes were blurred by hastily I brushed the tears away Lest by some word or sign of mine I mar her first big day.

Symbolic Interaction 3 Processes of Socialization Post-Childhood: Desocialization Resocialization Anticipatory Socialization

Desocialization - Examples? Desocialization: This is the process by which people give up old norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors. For those in total institutions, desocializaiton often means the destruction of old self-concepts of personal identity. Total Institutions: places where residents are separated from the rest of society - Examples?

Resocialization Resocialization: The process in which people adopt new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors

Anticipatory Socialization Anticipatory Socialization: The voluntary process of preparing to accept new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors (does not generally occur in prisons or hospitals b/c it is voluntary) It usually occurs as people move from one stage of their lives to another – people want to resemble those of their reference group, therefore they voluntarily change Reference Groups: Group whose norms and values are used to guide behavior; group with whom you identify

Culture + Socialization = Culture shapes human social behavior. Culture guides us in our thinking, feeling, and behaving. Without culture, humans would have no blueprint for social living. Within cultures, we see social structures and social statuses.

Social Structure and Status Social Structure: The underlying patterns of relationships in a group A “social map” for various group situations Social Stratification: society is separated into different levels, guided by the underlying structures in the social system. (Unit 4) Statuses: a position a person occupies within a social structure Define who and what we are in relation to others within the same social structure

Two Types of Social Statuses Ascribed Status: a position that is neither earned nor chosen, but assigned - What are some ascribed statuses that you hold? Achieved Status: a position that is earned or chosen - What are some achieved statuses that you hold?

Status Set A status set is all of the statuses that a person occupies at any particular time. Ex. Mrs. Dockery Martin is a teacher, cheerleading coach, a wife, a daughter, a mother to Alley, and a friend. What is your status set?

Master Status Although we may hold many different statuses, some are more important than others. A master status is a position that strongly affects most other aspects of a person’s life. Ex. Ms. Justice’s master status would be teacher because most decisions I make are filtered through my commitment to teaching. What is your master status?

Role Conflict We experience conflict as we try to perform all roles associated with all of our statuses. (A role is an expected behavior associated with a particular status.) Role Conflict: A condition in which the performance of a role in one status interferes with the performance of a role in another status. Ex. Ms. Justice experiences role conflict when her role as teacher interferes with her role as basketball coach. Where do you experience role conflict in your life?

Role Strain Role Strain: A condition in which the roles of a single status are inconsistent or conflicting. Ex. Ms. Justice experiences role strain when she is required to prepare lessons for 3 different subjects at the same time Where do you experience role strain?