Socialization and the Construction of Reality

Chapter 4

Have you been properly socialized??

How does someone become a racist? A sexist? A homophobic person?

How much has your religion, your parents, and the media you consume shaped your identity?

Who and what have made you who you are today?

????

• If a baby was born on an island and survived without any parents or other humans, would it exhibit human traits? Would it act like a person?

• What makes us human?

socialization process in sociologysocialization process in sociologysocialization process in sociology

Discussion Outline

• I. Defining Socialization

• II. Theories of Socialization

• III. Agents of Socialization

Socialization

• The process by which members internalize the values, beliefs, and norms of a society and learn to function as it’s members

• Have you properly internalized the rules that govern most situations? Is this a good thing for society and it’s members?

• Who and what have shaped who you are today?

• Socialization agents….

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brScJNP9-5A&list=UUYa28Hgxq_W6WgGcksVuu2w&index=20

What are the limits of Socialization?

• The complex interplay between…

How much of an individual’s personality and behavior is learned through interaction and how

much is genetic or inherited?

Nature-Nurture Debate

• Biologists tend to focus on the role of heredity in human development—emphasizing the role of nature.

• Social scientists focus on the role of learning, socialization, and culture,emphasizing the role of

nurture.

Biological determinism vs. differential socializationhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCzE9_QvpE4

I.e.: Mead’s work on Gender differences

Theories of Socialization

• The self: The individual identity of a person as perceived by that same person

• How does the self develop?

Sociologists focus on Reflexive behavior: actions through which people observe, interpret, evaluate, communicate with, and attempt to control themselves

• -How do individuals actively participate in their own socialization process?

• Fitting in in high school?

Symbolic Interactionist Theories

• Charles Horton Cooley• Looking-glass self: process by which we imaginatively assume

the stance of other people and view ourselves as we believe they see us

• -1.Perceive; 2.interpret; 3.respond

• Self-image: Temporary view• Self-conception: Long term/overriding view

Why do some individuals have low self esteem?

3-8

Symbolic Interactionist Theories• George Herbert Mead: The Generalized Other

• -The attitude of the larger community-An internalized sense of the expectations of others in given settings• -Learned by children through playing games

• -Learn to take the perspective of the other and play roles in society

• -the “I” is impulsive; The “me” is aware of the generalized other

• -Why do most people not break the rules or act outside of the norm most of the time?

3-9

Symbolic Interactionist Theories• Erving Goffman: Impression Management• Impression management: process of presenting ourselves to

others in ways that will lead them to view us favorably-Saving face

• Dramaturgical approach: The view of social life as essentially a theatrical performance• -Throughout each day, we, as actors, play roles on a series of stages,

adjusting our behavior to meet societal expectations• There are scripts, costumes, and sets

3-10

Socialization Agents

• Family, Schools, Peers, Media, religion, etc.

• Family, Social Class, and Socialization• The work of Annette Lareau and Unequal Childhoods

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ortYT4TWg

• Can Adults be socialized?

• Resocialization…

Social Structure• Status: a position within a group or society• Status set-All of the statuses that you occupy

• Ascribed status: assigned by group or society

• Achieved status: secured on basis of individual choice and competition

• Master status: core status that carries primary weight in person’s interactions and relationships with others

• Examples: Parent; Lawyer; Sibling; Student; boyfriend/girlfriend

2-12

Social Structure• Roles: sets of culturally defined rights and

duties

• Role performance: actual behavior of the person who occupies a status

• Role set: multiple roles attached to a single status

• What is the role set of a student? A professor? A citizen? A parent?

2-13