Socialization and the Construction of Reality Chapter 4 Lecture PowerPoint © W. W. Norton & Company, 2008

Socialization: The Concept You May Ask Yourself Copyright © 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 2  Socialization is the process by which individuals internalize the values, beliefs, and norms of a given society and learn to function as a member of that society.

Primary socialization: becoming human  Much takes place before age 5  Carried out by parents and family  Includes: Language development Internalization of norms, values, etc. Establishing identity (“Who am I?”) Human development (Intellectual, Emotional, Social)

Anticipatory Socialization  Preparing for a role. Examples: Education Training or practicing a sport or activity Choosing a major or career Internship, training Engagement Pregnancy

Resocialization  Drastic form of adult socialization  Changes entire environment, culture, and possibly self-concept Moving to foreign country Being institutionalized or incarcerated Joining military  Total institution: controls all basics of everyday life, aimed at resocialization

Theories of Socialization You May Ask Yourself Copyright © 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 6  Charles Horton Cooley: “Looking Glass Self”  Self concept emerges from ability to assume the point of view of others and imagine how they see us.  “I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am.” (Cooley)  Criticisms: too much emphasis on others

Theories of Socialization You May Ask Yourself Copyright © 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 7  George Herbert Mead: The “Other” Infants know only the “I” By about one year, we can distinguish between self and others. (“My mom is not me”) By age 3 we can see ourselves from other’s point of view (“Mom doesn’t like it when I hit my brother.”) Late childhood: internalize concept of generalized other (“they”= parents, friends, teachers, significant people) Allows us to apply norms and behaviors learned in specific situations to new situations

Theories of Socialization You May Ask Yourself Copyright © 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 8  Mead stressed the importance of imitation, play, and games in helping children recognize one another, distinguish between self and other, and grasp the idea that others can have multiple roles.

Theories of Socialization  Freud: components of personality Id: biological impulses, desires. Antisocial, unconscious. Instant gratification of needs Ego: Parents teach child that not every need can be gratified in any way. Child must learn control. Conscious self plans, thinks, decides. Superego: Generalized sense of right and wrong (conscience). Norms and values internalized.

Theories of Socialization  Freud: psychosexual development – battle with id is re-enacted at each stage Infancy: “Oral” stage (feeding) - basic trust develops when caregivers meet baby’s needs. Toddlers: “Anal” stage (toilet training) symbolizes self control. Preschool: “Phallic” stage (discovery of sexuality) – child becomes romantically attracted to opposite sex parent. Internalizes gender roles (powerful but distant father, mother as caregiver, nurturer)

Theories of Socialization  Freud: Stages of emotional development Childhood: “latent” stage (quiet time) Adolescence: “genital” stage (puberty) – early relationship with parents is resolved by healthy attraction to opposite sex. Ability to have strong emotional relationships depends on early experiences. Criticisms: sexist bias; difficulty of testing

Theories of Socialization You May Ask Yourself Copyright © 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 12  Eric Erikson: psychosocial development  eight stages that span entire lifetime Based on Freud Each stage involves a specific conflict Each must be resolved in order to move on

Erikson’s 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development

General criticisms of psychological and stage theories (Mead, Freud, Erikson)  Too much emphasis on age/stage relationship and ordering  Tend to be deterministic individuals not viewed as taking active role in own development Socialization viewed as one-way process, not reciprocal  Ignore societal influences and cultural variation

Alternative perspectives  Interpretive reproduction (Corsaro) Children as active contributors to own development Takes place within peer culture (collective process) Children collectively:  Appropriate knowledge and info from adult world  Interpret it within peer culture  Reproduce and extend adult world

Alternative perspectives  Interpretive reproduction: “Little Chairs” Appropriate knowledge and info from adult world  Preschoolers arrange little chairs in circle and walk around on them. Interpret it within peer culture  Means of inclusion and exclusion  Follow the leader, invent new patterns  Rebel against adult rules (don’t stand on chairs) Reproduce and extend adult world  Becomes meaningful routine  Defines social reality  Awareness of adult rules (be careful, don’t stand on chairs) Children are actively constructing culture and participating in own socialization

Alternative perspectives You May Ask Yourself Copyright © 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 18  Goffman’s dramaturgical theory social life as a theatrical performance roles, scripts, costumes, and sets “front stage:” role we project to world, public “back stage:” private roles “face:” esteem of others, social status Focuses on scripts, how we know them, what happens if we don’t follow them (“breaches”)

Interactionists and newer theories believe in: You May Ask Yourself Copyright © 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. 19  The Social Construction of Reality People give meaning or value to ideas or objects through social interactions. Ongoing process that is embedded in our everyday interactions. unexpected change in reality can be upsetting, frustrating, or incomprehensible. consensus on shared meanings helps society function smoothly.