Socialization & the Socialization & the SelfSelf

Becoming Human and Becoming Human and HumaneHumane

IntroductionIntroduction

Socialization- the lifelong process of Socialization- the lifelong process of learning to become a member of the learning to become a member of the social worldsocial world

Interaction- the basic building block of Interaction- the basic building block of socialization through which a child is socialization through which a child is shaped into a human being, learns its shaped into a human being, learns its culture, and becomes a member of a culture, and becomes a member of a societysociety

Social self- the perceptions we have of Social self- the perceptions we have of who we arewho we are

Nature vs. NurtureNature vs. Nurture

The debate over whether biology or The debate over whether biology or socialization explains the self and socialization explains the self and human behaviorshuman behaviors

Sociobiology (evolutionary Sociobiology (evolutionary psychology)- a reductionist theory psychology)- a reductionist theory that claims our genetic make-up that claims our genetic make-up “wires” us for certain social “wires” us for certain social behaviorsbehaviors– Not well accepted by sociologistsNot well accepted by sociologists

The importance of The importance of socializationsocialization

Children need human contact, Children need human contact, affection, and interaction in order to affection, and interaction in order to fully developfully develop– E.g., Anna, Isabelle, neglected orphan E.g., Anna, Isabelle, neglected orphan

childrenchildren– Because these children were not Because these children were not

socialized at the proper time, their socialized at the proper time, their developmental disorders persisted after developmental disorders persisted after attempts to integrate them into societyattempts to integrate them into society

Socialization and the social Socialization and the social worldworld

Most experiences are a part of the Most experiences are a part of the socialization experiencesocialization experience– Micro-level- e.g., parents, friendsMicro-level- e.g., parents, friends– Meso-level- e.g., schools and religionMeso-level- e.g., schools and religion– Macro-level- e.g., national Macro-level- e.g., national

advertisementsadvertisements Organizations are dependent upon Organizations are dependent upon

socialized people to help the groups socialized people to help the groups persistpersist

Structural-functionalist perspective- Structural-functionalist perspective- different socializing agents support different socializing agents support one anotherone another

Conflict perspective- different Conflict perspective- different socializing agents have conflicting socializing agents have conflicting goalsgoals– Those who have power use socialization Those who have power use socialization

to manipulate others into supporting the to manipulate others into supporting the power structure that benefits the elitepower structure that benefits the elite

– Most individuals have very little power Most individuals have very little power to decide or control their futuresto decide or control their futures

Development of the selfDevelopment of the self

Self- the perceptions we have of who Self- the perceptions we have of who we are which are developed from we are which are developed from our perceptions of the way others our perceptions of the way others respond to usrespond to us

The development of the self begins The development of the self begins in infancyin infancy

Biology and sociology both Biology and sociology both contribute to the development of the contribute to the development of the selfself

The looking glass self The looking glass self (Cooley)(Cooley)

1.1. We imagine how we appear to othersWe imagine how we appear to others

2.2. We interpret how others judge that We interpret how others judge that appearance and then respond to that appearance and then respond to that interpretationinterpretation

3.3. We experience feelings of pride or We experience feelings of pride or shame based on this imagined shame based on this imagined appearance and judgmentappearance and judgment

4.4. We respond based on our We respond based on our interpretationinterpretation

Role-taking (Mead)Role-taking (Mead)

We imagine ourselves from the point We imagine ourselves from the point of view of othersof view of others

When humans can symbolically When humans can symbolically recognize objects, they can the view recognize objects, they can the view the self as an objectthe self as an object

This process begins with having a This process begins with having a name, which differentiates the self name, which differentiates the self from other objectsfrom other objects

Only humans use symbolsOnly humans use symbols

Symbolic interaction theorySymbolic interaction theory

We take the actions of ourselves We take the actions of ourselves and others into account and take and others into account and take mental notes accordingly mental notes accordingly

The self can be passive (developed The self can be passive (developed by the way that others see us) and by the way that others see us) and active (an initiator of action- an active (an initiator of action- an agent)agent)

Parts of the self (Mead)Parts of the self (Mead)

The “I”- spontaneous, unpredictable, The “I”- spontaneous, unpredictable, impulsive; acts without considering impulsive; acts without considering social consequencessocial consequences

The “me”- knows the rules of society The “me”- knows the rules of society and attempts to channel the and attempts to channel the impulses of the “I” into socially impulses of the “I” into socially acceptable behavior that still meets acceptable behavior that still meets the “I’s” needs the “I’s” needs

The “me” requires the ability to take The “me” requires the ability to take the role of the otherthe role of the other

Stages in the developmentStages in the development of the self (Mead) of the self (Mead)

Play- children actually take on the role of Play- children actually take on the role of particular others, but do not understand particular others, but do not understand complex relationshipscomplex relationships

Game- children can take the role of Game- children can take the role of multiple others at once and understand multiple others at once and understand the generalized otherthe generalized other

– Generalized other- a composite of societal Generalized other- a composite of societal expectationsexpectations

– Can now play complex games (e.g., baseball)Can now play complex games (e.g., baseball)

The connections of the self The connections of the self to the meso-levelto the meso-level

Iowa schoolIowa school– Our sense of self is defined by our Our sense of self is defined by our

social positions within organizations social positions within organizations and institutions in society and institutions in society

– The self is relatively stable because a The self is relatively stable because a core self developscore self develops

– Because those organizations are so Because those organizations are so important to our core self, we have a important to our core self, we have a vested interest in their preservationvested interest in their preservation

Socialization throughout Socialization throughout the life cyclethe life cycle

Rites of passage occur at most stagesRites of passage occur at most stages– Important because they impact how Important because they impact how

others perceive the individual, how the others perceive the individual, how the individual perceives herself, and what is individual perceives herself, and what is expected of the individualexpected of the individual

– InfantInfant - Childhood - Childhood - Adolescence- Adolescence– AdulthoodAdulthood - Middle Adulthood - Middle Adulthood

– – Retired and the Elderly - Death and DyingRetired and the Elderly - Death and Dying

The process of The process of resocializationresocialization

ResocializationResocialization- the process of - the process of abandoning one or more social abandoning one or more social positions in favor of others that are positions in favor of others that are more suitable for a newly acquired more suitable for a newly acquired statusstatus

Can be voluntary or non-voluntaryCan be voluntary or non-voluntary

Agents of socializationAgents of socialization

Agents are the mechanism through Agents are the mechanism through which the self learns the beliefs, which the self learns the beliefs, values, and behaviors of the culturevalues, and behaviors of the culture

The importance of various agents The importance of various agents change over the life coursechange over the life course

Agents can be formal or informalAgents can be formal or informal Socialization differs by parenting Socialization differs by parenting

style, social class, race, sex, etc.style, social class, race, sex, etc.

Families as agents of Families as agents of socializationsocialization

Families use positive and negative Families use positive and negative sanctions to help teach right from sanctions to help teach right from wrongwrong

The amount and type of sanctions The amount and type of sanctions differ by familydiffer by family

Family socialization differs by cultureFamily socialization differs by culture The number of children in a household The number of children in a household

and birth order can influence and birth order can influence individual socializationsindividual socializations

Social class and Social class and socializationsocialization

Social class- the wealth, power, and Social class- the wealth, power, and prestige rankings individuals hold in prestige rankings individuals hold in societysociety

Parents socialize their children to Parents socialize their children to enter into adult roles common to enter into adult roles common to other members of their social classother members of their social class

The unequal distribution of The unequal distribution of resources in society have an impact resources in society have an impact on who we becomeon who we become

Electronic media: Meso-level Electronic media: Meso-level agents within the homeagents within the home

Children in the U.S. spend more time Children in the U.S. spend more time watching television than any other watching television than any other waking activity waking activity

What messages do these agents of What messages do these agents of socialization send to children?socialization send to children?