Chapter Four: Socialization Chapter Four: Socialization

Nature Heredity Inborn Genetic code for behavior Nurture Social environment Social interaction Behaviors are learned What is Human Nature? Controversy surrounding this question  Heredity or Environment?  Identical Twins  Adriana and Tamara  Jack and Oskar Controversy surrounding this question  Heredity or Environment?  Identical Twins  Adriana and Tamara  Jack and Oskar

Socialization Sociobiology Who we are and what we do is influenced by the following: Genetic traits and characteristics Environment What we learn in interaction with others. What is Human Nature?

Socialization Feral Children Children found in the wilderness “The Wild Boy of Aveyron, France” 1798 Isolated Children A child who has had no contact with the outside world or no social interaction with others. Anna was found in early 1940’s locked in the attic Isabelle discovered in Ohio in 1938

Socialization Experimental Group 13 infant whose mental retardation was very obvious and no one wanted to adopt them. 2 ½ years later  Gained an average of 28 IQ points 20 years later Control Group 12 infants remained in the orphanage These children were also retarded, but they were considered to have higher intelligence 2 ½ years later  Lost 30 IQ points 20 years later Skeels & Dye Experiment

Socialization In Sum…...Society Makes Us Human 66  High intelligence depends on early, close relations with other humans  SOCIALIZATION  A process in which we learn and internalize the attitudes, values, beliefs and norms of our culture and develop a sense of self.

Socialization Institutionalized Children 1930’s Research on Orphanages  Low IQs  It was believed that children were born mentally retarded Skeels & Dye (psychologists) believed there are social causes that led to mental retardation  Use Experimental Design to test theory

Socialization

Children go through three stages in the development of the self The process by which children learn to take the role of the other Significant Others Generalized Others 99 Mead and Role Taking (Socialization Process)

Socialization Under age 3 Age 3 to 6 After age 6 or 7

Socialization Children go through a natural process as they learn how to reason Piaget’s Cognitive Development 1.SensorimotorFrom birth to about age 2 2.Preoperational Age 2 to 7 3.Concrete Operational Age 7 to 12 4.Formal Operational After the age 12

Socialization Kohlberg’s Moral Development 1.Preconventional 2.Conventional 3.Postconventional

Socialization Personality consist of three elements 1.Each child is born with id 2.Superego 3.Ego  The struggle between the Id and Superego

Socialization Every society has institutionalized ways of carrying out the process of socialization Those groups and institutions that both informally an formally take on the task of socialization

Socialization

Gender Messages in the Family The Peer Group Gender Messages in the Mass Media  Television and Movies  Video Games  16 Gender Messages

Socialization Sociologists Do Not Think So Socialization is Powerful, but the Self is Dynamic Individuals Are Actively Involved in the Construction of the Self  17 Are We Prisoners of Socialization?