1. 5 Socialization
Socialization is the way we learn the norms and
beliefs of our society. From our earliest family
and play experiences, we are made aware of
societal values and expectations.
2. INTRODUCTION TO SOCIALIZATION
Socialization is the process through which
people are taught to be proficient members of
a society.
It describes the ways that people come to
understand societal norms and
expectations
to accept society’s beliefs
to be aware of societal values
3. Socialization is a process that occurs
through socializing.
Harry and Margaret Harlow conducted a
significant study on socialization.
They demonstrated that social comfort is of
greater value than even food.
Severe isolation and social deprivation lead to
significant developmental and social challenges
later in life.
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5. THEORIES OF SELF-DEVELOPMENT
Psychological Perspectives on Self-
Development
Sigmund Freud believed that personality
and sexual development are closely related.
He divided the maturation process into what is
called psychosexual stages of development.
Failure to properly engage in or disengage from
a specific stage results in emotional and
psychological consequences throughout
adulthood.
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8. Erik Erikson created a theory of personality
development based on the work of Freud.
Erikson believed that the personality continued
to change over time and was never truly
finished.
His theory included 8 stages of development
through which people move throughout their
lives.
Erikson’s view gave credit to more social
aspects of development than Freud’s.
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10. Jean Piaget specialized in child
development through social interaction.
He recognized that the development of self
evolved through a negotiation between the
world as it exists in one’s mind and the world
that exists as it is experienced socially.
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12. Sociological Theories of Self-Development
Charles Horton Cooley was one of the
pioneering contributors to sociological
perspectives.
He asserted that people’s understanding is
constructed, in part, by their perception of how
others view them.
Looking glass self
13. George Herbert Mead studied the self (a
person’s distinct identity that is developed
through social interaction.)
He believed that in order to understand the
self, we have to be able to see ourselves
through the eyes of others.
He devises a series of stages or path that all
people go through.
14. The preparatory stage (or imitation stage)
Children are only capable of imitation (primary
caregivers)
They have no ability to imagine how others see things
The play stage
Children begin to take on the role that one other
person might have.
The game stage
Children learn to consider several roles at the same
time and how those roles interact with each other.
Development of the generalized other
The common behavioral expectations of general
society
The individual can now imagine how he is viewed by
one or many others. They now have a “self.”
15. Moral development refers to the way
people learn what society considered to be
“good” or “bad,” which is important for a
smoothly functioning society.
It prevents people from acting on unchecked
urges, instead considering what is right for
society and good for others.
Lawrence Kohlberg developed a theory of
moral development that includes 3 levels.
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17. Carol Gilligan felt that Kohlberg’s theory
might show gender bias.
She determined that boys and girls do have
different understandings of morality.
Boys tend to have a justice perspective (rules
and laws)
They are socialized for a work environment.
Girls have a care and responsibility perspective
(they consider people’s reasons behind their
behavior—even if the behavior is morally wrong.
They are socialized for a home environment.
18. WHY SOCIALIZATION MATTERS
Socialization is critical to individuals and to
the societies in which they live.
Through teaching culture to new members, a
society perpetuates itself. This is how new
generations learn its way of life.
Individually, social interaction provides the
means via which we gradually become able to
see ourselves through the eyes of others, and
how we learn who we are and how we fit into the
world around us.
19. Nature versus Nature
Nurture proponents believe that our social
environment is what influences our self
development.
The relationships and caring that surround us
Nature proponents believe that who we are
depends on nature (the influence of our
genetic makeup on self development.)
Our temperaments, interests, and talents are set
before birth.
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21. Theoretical Perspectives and Socialization
Functionalists would say that socialization is
essential to society because it trains members to
operate successfully within it and because it
perpetuates culture by transmitting it to new
generations.
A conflict theorist might argue that socialization
reproduces inequality from generation to
generation by conveying different expectations
and norms to those with different social
characteristics.
22. A symbolic interactionist would be concerned
with face-to-face exchanges and symbolic
communication.
Look at the Nature v. Nurture picture again….
23. AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
Social groups provide the first experiences
of socialization.
Family is the first agent of socialization.
Many social factors affect the way a family
raises its children.
Historical eras
Race
Social class
Religion
24. A peer group is made up of people who are
similar in age and social status and who
share interests.
Peer group socialization begins in the earliest
years (church nursery, neighborhood
playground, etc.)
It continues into the teenage years as they begin
to develop an identity separate from their
parents and to exert independence.
25. Social institutions, like schools, work, etc.,
teach people how to behave in and navigate
them.
School’s manifest function is to teach math,
reading, etc. Its latent function is to
socialize children into behaviors like
teamwork, following a schedule, and using
textbooks.
Hidden curriculum is the informal teaching
done by schools.
26. Schools also socialize children by teaching
them about citizenship and national pride.
Most schools teach US history and geography.
27. The workplace socializes adults due to the
significant amount of time we spent at work.
Different jobs require different types of
socialization.
Religion is an important avenue of
socialization for many people.
Synagogues, temples, churches, and mosques
teach participants how to interact with the
religion’s material culture.
Many religions uphold gender norms and
contribute to their enforcement through
socialization.
28. Many of the rights of passage people go
through today are based on norms
established by the government.
Each time we embark on a new category
according to the government (adults, senior
citizen, taxpayer) we must be socialized into a
new role.
Mass media distribute impersonal
information to a wide audience, via
television, newspapers, radio, and the
Internet.
29. People learn about objects of a material culture
(new technology and transportation), as well as
nonmaterial culture (what is true---beliefs; what
is important—values; and what is expected---
norms.)
30. SOCIALIZATION ACROSS THE LIFE
COURSE
Socialization is a lifelong process.
In the US, socialization throughout the life
course is determined greatly by age norms
and time-related rules and regulations.
Many of life’s social expectations are made
clear and enforced on a cultural level.
Through interacting with others and watching
others interact, the expectation to fulfill roles
becomes clear. (beginning high school or
beginning college).
31. In the process of socialization, adulthood
brings a new set of challenges and
expectations, as well as new roles to fill.
Responsibility and commitment are emphasized
during adulthood. Adults are expected to “settle
down by marrying, having children, and focusing
on a career path.
Anticipatory socialization is the preparation for
future life roles.
Reading child care books while pregnant
Planning for and saving money for retirement
32. In the process of resocialization, old
behaviors that were helpful in a previous
role are removed because they are not
longer of use.
The process of resocialization is typically ore
stressful than normal socialization because
people have to unlearn behaviors that have
become customary to them.
33. Many individuals are resocialized into an
institution through a 2 part process:
Members must leave behind their old identity
through a degradation ceremony.
The process by which new members of a total
institution lose aspects of their old identities and are
given new ones.
Nursing homes, prisons, the military all have a form of
degradation because of the drastic changes
associated with entering them.
34. After being stripped of old identities, new
members must build a new one that
matches the new society.
Basic training in the military
35. Learning to deal with life after having lived in a total
institution requires another process of socialization.
37. Ipad Exercise on Agents of
Socialization
Go to the web page listed below:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/baby-storm-
raised-genderless-gender-dangerous-
experiment-child/story?id=13693760
Watch the video and read the news story as
reported by ABC news and answer the
following question:
38. Do you think it’s OK to keep a child’s gender
private?
Yes. It’s a personal choice.
No. It’s unfair to the child.
Why did you choose your particular answer?
Tally these results and discuss in class.
