Chapter 5 - Understanding Socialization and Interaction Flashcards
Socialization
How you learn through social interaction to follow the social norms and expectations of society
Lifeline social experience by which individuals develop human potential and learn patterns of their culture
Social Reproduction
How society’s norms and values are passed on from generation to generation
Although values and norms can change over time, many of the structural components of society remain the same across generations.
Socialization occurs throughout the life course, which refers to the various stages of one’s life from birth to death.
Resocialization
Learning to adapt to new social norms and values
George Herbert Mead
Because socialization is focused on the individual the sociological understanding of it is shaped by the micro-level symbolic interactionist approach particularly George Herbert Mead
Mead (1964) argued that through symbolic interactions with others we develop into social beings.
Influenced by Charles Horton Cooley’s concept of the looking glass self
Believed we are not born with a sense of self but rather learn self consciousness through social interactions
Self-consciousness
An individuals’ awareness of how others see them. The individual develops a sense of self through the reactions and attitudes of others.
Taking the role of the other
Mead maintained that children begin to develop into social beings who are aware of themselves by imitating those around them.
Ex. pushing a baby doll in a stroller
In taking the role of the other, children begin to see themselves the way others see them while starting to understand that they are separate individuals
What develops in these play and game stages in what Mead refers to as the “me”, which differs from the “I”. The “I” is the self’s unsocialized impulses and attitudes that respond to the reactions and attitudes of others in a creative and active way. The “me” part of the self internalized the generalized reactions and attitudes of other members of society often censors the “I”.
Agents of socialization
People, groups, institutions, and social contexts that contribute to our socialization
Family
Generally the first agent of socialization and interaction. Most influential agent as most infants and children undergo significant socialization from their family.
- Teach foundational skills, norms, and values
- Social class has strong influence
- Lower versus middle class differences
School
Teach academic content, norms, and valuesInteraction with authority figures and peer
Social factors influence experience
Peers
As children get older, they spend more time with their peers becoming an important agent of socialization that can both reinforce and challenge what children have learned from the family.
- Peers exert more influence
- Peer pressure to conform
- Peers challenge norms and values
Peer pressure
Peers often expect conformity to a set of particular social norms relating to appearance, behavior, language, etc.
Media
An increasingly influential agent of socialization. Books, radio, and TV have long been influential, but today in the information age there is unprecedented access to media from smartphones and tablets.
- Media consumption growing
- Media violence linked to aggression
Agents of Socialization for Adults
We never stop being socialized. Work is often an important social context. Each new workplace constitutes a new set of agents of socialization.
Total Institution
Closed to external influences in which a group of people live together, following a strict structured routine. Sleep, work and plat all occur within the confines of one institution rather than in different locations.
- Total institutions are regimented environments
- Closed to external influences
- Resocialization is important
Ex. prison, military
Gender Socialization
We learn the particular expectations of our society as it relates to gender learning gender identity and roles through socialization
Starts at birth
Self-identity
Our own understanding of who we are that is shaped by our interactions with others. Constantly being shaped and reshaped.
Role strain
Competing demands within a particular social role and status
Ex. two exams on the same day
Role Conflict
When our different social roles conflict with one another.
Ex. Mother and student
Identity
The characteristics by which we are known
Group
Any set of two or more people with whom you share a sense of belonging, purpose and identity.
Allow us to accomplish tasks we could not do alone.
Types of Groups
Primary and secondary.
- Primary group: smaller, more intimate, and longer-lasting like family, close friends.
- Secondary group: less personal and some last just a short period of time.
Elements of Social Interaction
- Status means recognized positions occupied by interacting people.
- Social interaction requires roles or sets of expected behaviors.
- Social interaction requires norms or generally accepted ways of doing things
Status
A recognized social position that an individual occupies
Front
Where we actively perform our roles
The “expressive equipment” the individual uses to define the situation and convince others of the sincerity of his or her performance.
Consists of the setting, appearance, and manner of the context in which a particular performance occurs.
The individual seeks to influence the perception others have of them.
How status is obtained
Social Status: human created and defined position within a social structure
- ASCRIBED: INVOLUNTARY POSITIONS(result from chance)
- ACHIEVED: VOLUNTARY POSITIONS(result from choice or effort)
OFTEN THE TWO TYPES WORK TOGETHER, WHAT WE ARE ASCRIBED OFTEN HELPS US ACHIEVE OTHER STATUSES
Master Status
THE STATUS THAT SEEMS TO DEFINE A PERSON
ALSO, A PERSON’S “MASTER STATUS” CAN EITHER WORK IN FAVOR, OR AGAINST A
PERSON.
EXAMPLE: PERSONS WHO ARE INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGED
Erving Goffman
Developed Dramatury approach to analyzing and explaining social interaction. Used the metaphor of the theater to describe how social lives are a kind of performance.
Considered the pioneer of the study of social interaction in everyday contexts
Formal organizations
Planned secondary groups created to achieve a goal.
Allow us to accomplish even larger tasks
Follow a plan for dividing power, assign members to fill specific responsibilities, and have a system to replace individuals.
Ideal Bureaucracy
Formal organizations designed to complete complex tasks rationally and with maximum efficiency.
Standard set of rules, clear hierarchy of status positions with specific roles, emplyeees hired on the basis of their qualifications, etc.
Vital to almost all large formal organizations.
Back stage
Where we are “out of character” and no longer have to put on a performance.
Ethnomethodology
Created by Harold Garfinkel
Study of the “ethno” - ordinary or everyday methods people use to make sense of their social interactions
Focused on language and the simplistic small talk that makes up many of our basic interactions with others.
Found that breaking the conventions of everyday small talk make people deeply uncomfortable and upset.
Status Set
All the statuses held at one time
Ex. Dance partner, boss, friend, sports participant
