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

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 6

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

Psychological Approaches to the Self Piaget Emphasized stages through which human beings progress as the self develops Cognitive theory of development: four stages in development of children’s thought processes Sensorimotor Preoperational Concrete operational Formal operational

Table 14-2: Theoretical Approaches to Development of the Self 11

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 youthhood, emerging adulthood, and not quite adult coined to describe the prolonged ambiguous status that young people in their 20s experience

Anticipatory Socialization and Resocialization Anticipatory socialization: person “rehearses” future occupations and social relationships Resocialization: discarding former behavior patterns and accepting new ones during transitions in one’s life

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

Sociology on Campus 14-1: Impression Management by Students How do you react to those who have received higher or lower grades than you? Do you engage in impression management? How would you like others to react to your grade? What social norms govern students’ impression management strategies?