Socialization

Socialization  Now, imagine you were switched at birth with another baby in the maternity ward and went home with the ‘wrong’ family and were raised by them.  How might you be different ?  Describe yourself  Name  Physical attributes  Ethnicity  Likes/Dislikes  Strengths  Values  Hobbies  Personal history

What is social behaviour?  The interaction among members of the same group responding to external and internal stimuli  For example, if you were dining out in a restaurant  Internal stimuli would be the behaviours you have learnt from your family, friends, etc.  External stimuli would be the diners around you, the observed behaviours of how they act in a restaurant

What influences behaviour?  Social influence: the effect of other people on a person’s thoughts and actions  Can be indirect or direct  Direct: Joining friends at a thai restaurant when you want to eat McDonald’s  Indirect: Not eating at McDonald’s because you think your friends wouldn’t like it if you did

Socialization  Socialization – lifelong process through which we learn all the knowledge, skills and attitudes we need to survive and prosper  Key process in the development of the individual  Necessary for the continuation of society  Affects virtually every aspect of our lives  Basic skills, socially accepted goals, roles and behaviours

Categories of Socialization  Primary socialization: the process of learning the basic skills needed to survive in society  Secondary socialization: the process of learning how to behave appropriately in group situations  Anticipatory socialization: the process of learning how to plan the way to behave in new situations

Components of Socialization Primary Socialization Secondary Socialization Anticipatory Socialization We learn: Language How to eat To practice hygiene Gender roles To deal with emotions Lean how to function in groups (schools) How to follow the behaviours society expects of us while acting in group situations Develop the ability to think ahead and act according

Categories of Socialization cont.  Resocialization : Deliberate attempt by society to replace aspects of an individual’s socialization with new learnings In prisons, society tries to change inmates’ learned behaviour to more appropriate, law-abiding ones

Abnormal Socialization  Children should be raised in a nurturing environment that promotes physical, emotional and intellectual development.  Children need attention, encouragement, and stimulation of a caregiver to develop healthy self- esteem and become productive, well-adjusted members of society  Some children may be neglected or outright abandoned, affecting their socialization

Child Abuse  In cases of child abuse, children do not learn normal and healthy behaviours Physical Abuse Involves assault or inflicting of physical harm Sexual Abuse Occurs when an a child is touched sexually or inappropriately Emotional Abuse May include repeatedly criticizing child or subjecting child to unhappy or disturbing environment Neglect The failure to provide physical or emotional necessities of life

Feral Children  Ferals are chilren deserted at a young age and raised by animals  Sociologists who have studies feral children discovered that they appropriate the behaviours of the species that raised them and can perfectly imitate their gestures and sounds  By studying feral children, sociologists concluded that children need to learn social skills at a young age  M

Isolated Children  Isolates are children raised in near isolation within human households.  Most famous case is a girl named Genie who was found in the 1970s when she was 13 years old, she couldn’t speak, and could barely walk or eat. Despite intensive rehabilitation Genie was never able to make a full recovery  In July 2005 a case emerged in Florida of a 3 year old girl. She still does not speak but is learning to listen and understand simple commands