Socialization

4.2-4.4

Three Perspectives

Functionalist- emphasizes contributions

Conflict- emphasizes conflict, competition, and constraint

Symbolic Interactionism- focuses on interactions based on mutually understood symbols

Functionalist Perspective

Stresses the ways in which groups work together to create a stable society

Schools and families socialize children by teaching the same norms and values

Conflict Perspective

Views socialization as a way of perpetuating the status quo

People learn to accept their social status before they have enough self-awareness to realize what is happening

They do not challenge their position in life so they do not upset the existing class structure

Socialization is a way for the powerful to keep things the same

Symbolic Interactionism

Human nature is a product of society, not biology

Exposure to information and symbols leads to socialization

Self concept– Your image of yourself as having an identity

separate from other people

The looking-glass self

– Other people serve as mirrors for the development of the self

– A self-concept based on our idea of others’ judgment of us– A three stage process

Imagine how we appear to others Imagine the reaction of others to our (imagined) appearance Evaluate ourselves according to how we imagine others have

judged us– Not a conscious process

Because it comes from our imaginations, it can be distorted, but even if we believe something to be correct, the consequences are the same as if they were true

Significant others

– Some people serve as mirrors more than others– Those people whose reactions are most important to

your self concept– Changes throughout life

Role taking

Allows us to see ourselves through the eyes of someone else

3 Stages of Development (Mead)– Imitation stage- children begin to imitate others

without understanding why (18 months- 1 year)– Play stage- children act in ways they imagine

other people should (3-4 years)– Game stage- children anticipate the actions of

others based on social rules

The Generalized Other

A child’s self concept, attitudes, beliefs, and values gradually come to depend less on individuals and more on general concepts

Generalized other- an integrated conception of the norms, values, and beliefs of one’s community or society

What is the self?

Two Parts– “Me”- the part of the self formed through socialization

Accounts for predictability and conformity

– “I”- the part of the self that accounts for unlearned, spontaneous acts

– The “I” will take the “me” into account before acting in social situations

Socialization and the Mass Media

Theoretical Perspective View of Socialization How the media influences socialization

Functionalism Stresses how socialization contributes to a stable society

Network T.V. programs encourage social interaction by exposing the entire society to shared beliefs, values, and norms

Conflict Theory Views socialization as a way for the powerful to keep things the same

Newspaper owners and editors exercise power by setting the political agenda for a community

Symbolic Interactionism Holds that socialization is the major determinant of human nature

Through words and pictures, children’s books expose the young to the meaning of love, manners, and motherhood

The Internet and Socialization

Theoretical Perspective View of Socialization How the internet influences socialization

Functionalism Stresses how socialization contributes to a stable society

Allows information to be transmitted rapidly; e-mail is sent in seconds and is a highly functionalized process

Conflict Theory Views socialization as a way for the powerful to keep things the same

Entrepreneurs like Bill Gates have been extremely powerful as a result of technology, Internet use is related to income level and perpetuates inequality

Symbolic Interactionism Holds that socialization is the major determinant of human nature

Young children are exposed to more and more information and have the ability to communicate with larger circles of people

The Family and Socialization

Within the family, children learn to– Think and speak– Internalize norms, beliefs, and values– Form basic attitudes– Develop a capacity for intimate and personal relationships– Acquire a self image

Social class shapes what we think of ourselves and how others treat us far into adulthood

Schools and Socialization

Hidden curriculum- the informal and unofficial aspects of culture that are taught in school– Discipline– Order– Cooperation– Conformity– Time

Peer Group Socialization

Peer group- a set of individuals of roughly the same age and interests; agent of socialization not controlled by adults

– Experience conflict, competition, and cooperation– Experience in self-direction and self-expression– Development of self-sufficiency

• Because parents often commute, upper grade school children may spend more time with peers than parents. Many believe the peer group is having a growing effect on social development

The Mass Media and Socialization

Mass media- means of communication designed to reach the general population

Can sometimes be highly distorted Displays role models for children to

imitate and offers ideas for values in their society

Violence and the mass media– Hundreds of studies now conclude that

watching aggressive behavior on television significantly increases aggression

4 Processes Associated with Socialization after Childhood

Symbolic interactionism- views socialization as a lifelong process

1) Desocialization 2) Resocialization 3) Anticipatory socialization 4) Reference groups

Desocialization

Total institutions- places where residents are separated from the rest of society and controlled by officials in charge; end purpose is to permanently change the residents

Desocialization- the process by which people give up old norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors; the destruction of old self-concepts

– Standard-issue items– Serial numbers

Resocialization

Resocialization- the process by which people adopt new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors

Attempt to give new self-concepts– Rewards and punishments

Concepts developed to analyze extreme situations, but also apply in other settings

– Marine corps– In a much less extreme form, changes in our life course

Anticipatory Socialization

The process of preparing (in advance) for new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors

– Dating

Involves voluntary change May occur in people moving from one stage of life to

another Reference group- the group whose norms and

values are used to guide behavior; group with whom you identify