Examples Of The Influence Of Socialisation On Identity

Question 1

How did Tajifel describe identity and when?

Answer 1

Described identity as being the way that humans attach themselves to others both emotionally and socially, particularly along gender, age, class, ethnicity and national lines. They feel that they belong to a group based on these. We may have more than one identity depending on the social situation in which we find ourselves. (1979)

Question 2

Sociologists have identified two elements to identity. What are they?

Answer 2

• Primary identity
• Secondary identity

Question 3

What is primary identity?

Answer 3

Our sense of self

Question 4

What does secondary identity consist of?

Answer 4

The roles we play in society (how others see us)

Question 5

What are 5 ways in which we develop our identity?

Answer 5

1. We are told who we are by others
2. We may choose identities depending on where we are
3. Identity may give us meaning
4. Some identities are imposed on us: ascribed status
5. Some identities are chosen: achieved status

Question 6

Explain some ways in which we can develop our identity through being told who we are by others

Answer 6

• A pupil will not be accepted in the school staff room because they will be told by the teachers that they are a student and are not allowed in
• Sometimes these identities can be seen as positive: manager, professional footballer, manager
• Frequently identities can be seen as negative, e.g. disabled or gay people often have to face difficult and unpleasant interactions with, and reactions from, others

Question 7

Explain some ways in which people may choose different identities depending on where they are

Answer 7

• In school or college, a student identity is acceptable and people will behave and dress accordingly, but they will dress and behave differently if they expect to be allowed into a club. Identity is therefore linked to an expected social role.
• A person may not feel particularly Welsh until they go to England
• Males may not feel particuarly male, until they are placed in an all-female environment

Question 8

What are some examples of ways in which our identity may give us meaning?

Answer 8

People will wear obvious signs of their religious and ethnic background as a signal to others
- Women who wear a burka in public are making a clear statement of identity as religious Islamic people

Question 9

What are some examples of ascribed statuses?

Answer 9

• Daughter or sister are statuses that are automatically given when you are born
• In the Hindu religion you are born into a caste and remain in that group for life

Question 10

What is an example of an achieved status?

Answer 10

For most people their hob is an example of an achieved status - they have had to do something to get into that position or role

Question 11

Who developed the concept of the ‘significant other’?

Answer 11

Sullivan, a psychiatrist

Question 12

In sociology, how is the term ‘significant other’ used?

Answer 12

To describe a person, or group of people who have a major influence on a person’s sense of identity
- Thus many agencies of socialisation can be seen as significant others, for example, for religious people, those who preach will be significant others

Question 13

How may the term ‘other’ be used in terms of the development of self identity?

Answer 13

In this case, the other is the person we are not.
- Thus, men may define themselves as masculine by rejecting any behaviours that they feel are female or feminine

Question 14

What are some examples of identities we can learn through socialisation?

Answer 14

• Gender identity
• Class identity
• Ethnic identity
• National identity

Question 15

What are two agents of socialisation through which people can learn gender identity?

Answer 15

• Family
• Media

Question 16

Our biological sex will carry with it a set of cultural expectations. What are these cultural expectations known as?

Answer 16

Our gender roles

Question 17

Why do some parents choose to know what sex they are expecting?

Answer 17

So they can decorate a nursery, buy gender-appropriate clothing and pick a gender-appropriate name despite there being little difference in the appearance and behaviour of babies on the basis of sex

Question 18

Who pointed out the difference between expected male and female identities in Western cultures?

Answer 18

Farley (1990)

Question 19

What did Farley point out that expected male identities in Western cultures include?

Answer 19

• Leadership
• Control of social situations
• Decision making
• Active, unemotional and aggressive behaviours

Question 20

What did Farley point out that expected feminine identities in Western cultures include?

Answer 20

• Physical dependency and weakness
• Emotionalism
• Lack of control
• Passive, caring and family orientated

Question 21

Who described the processes of gender socialisation in the family?

Answer 21

Ann Oakley

Question 22

Through what primary socialisation processes did Oakley claim children learned expected behaviour for their gender?

Answer 22

Manipulation, canalisation, verbal appellations and different activities

Question 23

Explain manipulation in relation to the development of gender roles through the family

Answer 23

Parents encourage behaviour that is normal for the gender and discourage what they may see as inappropriate gender behaviour

For example, phrases such as ‘boys don’t cry’

Question 24

Explain canalisation in relation to the development of gender roles through the family

Answer 24

Boys and girls are channelled into appropriate activities, so boys are given ‘male toys’ that encourage physical activity and girls are offered dolls to encourage caring

Question 25

Explain verbal appellations in relation to the development of gender roles through the family

Answer 25

Girls will be called ‘angel’ and ‘princess’ whereas boys are often ‘little monster’ or other more agreesive nicknames

Question 26

Explain different activities in relation to the development of gender roles through the family

Answer 26

Girls are taken to dance classes or kept at home to help, whereas boys are sent out to play, or taken to football training

Question 27

Who developed and criticised Oakley’s idea and when/

Answer 27

Statham in 1986

Question 28

What did Statham say about Oakley’s idea about gender socialisation within the family?

Answer 28

Even if parents avoid purposeful gender socialisation, cultural and social expectations were so powerful that children still behave in gendered ways because of the powerful influence of secondary socialisation

Question 29

Who commented on the media’s role in learning gender roles through socialisation?

Answer 29

Judith Butler (1990)

Question 30

What did Judith Butler say about the media?

Answer 30

The media stereotyping of gender roles is so powerful that it is difficult to avoid gender socialisation and gendered behaviour

Question 31

What does the large amount of literature on body image in the media result in?

Answer 31

Unnatural or unusual body types being presented as both the ideal and the norm for men and women, creating a pressure on people to conform

Question 32

Who complained that the idea of a perfect body image was a means to control and exploit women?

Answer 32

Naomi Wolf

Question 33

What do celebrities such as Kate Winslett and Brad Pitt feel manipulation of their bodies through photoshop contribute to?

Answer 33

Eating disorders and emotional problems among the vulnerable young

Question 34

What did McRobbie mean by the term ‘slimblondeness’?

Answer 34

The concept of the ideal woman that is pushed by the media, affecting women’s self image and self esteem

Question 35

In sociology, how is the term ‘social class’ used?

Answer 35

Used to describe groups of people with similar education, income and occupational background. Class groupings may include upper, middle and lower (working) class, though in reality it is much more complicated than that

Question 36

Who are the upper class?

Answer 36

The extremely wealthy and powerful, who often own land and property. There are fewer of them, but they have access to political and social power

Question 37

Who are the middle class?

Answer 37

Those who are generally employed in professional work and have good incomes and high levels of education

Question 38

Who are the working class?

Answer 38

The working class includes those who have never worked or had jobs. This is the majority of the population and these tend to be those who have fewer educational qualifications and who work in jobs where they are paid wages.

Question 39

Who argued that the lifestyles of people in the middle class differ from those of the working class?

Answer 39

Savage (1992)

Question 40

What did Savage argued were some of the differences between the lifestyles of the middle class and the working class?

Answer 40

The middle class have more disposable income and are able to spend it on comfortable lifestyles in pleasant houses, with nice cars, holidays and leisure activities. Their children can expect to attend good schools, go to university and gain high-paying jobs.

Question 41

What did Bourdieu claim made education an important agency of socialisation into class identity?

Answer 41

Cultural capital
- Claimed that people with middle-class backgrounds have been socialisation into the culture of the dominant ruling class and teachers. They are more likely to succeed in school therefore than working class children (can been seen through language, for example).

• Within secondary education, most schools with stream their pupils - w/c children will overwhelmingly be found in lower sets. Therefore often w/c can be associated more so with less academic achievement

Question 42

What did Savage find in relation to work and class identity and when?

Answer 42

Found that one typical feature of w/c people was their view of themselves as ‘ordinary’ people as opposed to those in the higher professions (2005)

Question 43

Explain Charlesworth’s (1999) findings on class identity and work.

Answer 43

Charlesworth explored w/c life in Rotherham and claimed that people had always gained class identity from work. He claimed that in recent years, w/c people could not rely on gaining the kind of w/c jobs that had traditionally given them pride (mining, manufacturing). They therefore experienced lives of negativity, have limited money, lack of active social lives and over-exposure to the media

Question 44

What example did Reay provide when arguing that everyday aspects of family life are hugely influenced by social class and when?

Answer 44

• Highlighted that middle class mothers, with a higher experience of education, often felt more confident in tutoring children in comparison to w/c mothers whom lack the qualifications of those in a higher class
• These different displays of confidence and education will ultimately be instilled with the children, as they will most likely adopt these influences later on in life, which defines their social class

Question 45

What is one way in which culture within family life can influence class identity?

Answer 45

The upper classes in society are associated with high culture, whilst popular culture is considered more common. High and popular culture describe the kinds of activities that we enjoy doing and many sociologists claim it is linked to our class. This is developed in us as young children within the family

Question 46

Explain the term ‘ethnic group’ in relation to learning ethnic identity through socialisation

Answer 46

Recent genetic research shows that previous theories of race overstate differences between peoples, and sociologists now use the term ethnicity to describe people who share cultures.
- An ethnic group will tend to have similar ancestry, sense of history, traditions, beliefs and language.
- These are socialised differences, this they must be learned, often in childhood

Question 47

What is often the first way that people learn their ethnicity in family socialisation? Give an example

Answer 47

Through language
- Many British families use a domestic language other than English. There are groups of Welsh, Polish, Somali and other language speakers who choose to use their own culture at home, though they are fluent in English outside of the home

Question 48

What did Tariq Modood suggest also teaches ethnicity within the family in addition to language, and when?

Answer 48

Food, dress and family traditions which teach ethnicity (2005)

Question 49

What did Miri Song say about learning ethnicity through family socialisation?

Answer 49

Chinese families reward children who support family businesses or show family loyalty, seeing them as ‘more Chinese’

Question 50

What is another way ethnicity can be passed on in addition to family socialisation?

Answer 50

Religious practice

Question 51

What did Ghuman find about learning ethnic identity through religious socialisation and when?

Answer 51

Found religious training to be very important in encouraging Asian cultural values of obedience, loyalty and respect among the children of Asian migrants into the UK. Therefore it was a way of holding onto their tradtional culture (1999)

Question 52

What did Butler say about learning ethnic identity through religious socialisation and when?

Answer 52

Said that religion was central to the way that Muslim girls created an identity for themselves and that Islam provided a real moral guide to young women.
- Veiling was seen by many as a positive statement of cultural identity and pride.
- The concept of ‘izzat’ or family honour was very important

Question 53

What did Pryce suggest about learning ethnic identity through religious socialisation and when?

Answer 53

That religious belief could even provide an identity that rejected mainstream culture, so Rastafarianism offered West Indians pride in rejected the racism of wider British culture

Question 54

What is national identity and how does it vary from cultural identity?

Answer 54

National identity is somewhat different from cultural identity even though the ideas of culture and nation overlap. Nationhood is linked to a specific geographical region. Thus, whilst all people born in the UK have legal rights as citizens of the United Kingdom, there are those who feel themselves to have a particular loyalty to Wales, Cornwall, Northern Ireland or Scotland

Question 55

Why is extreme nationalism problematic?

Answer 55

Often distrusted as it can give rise to extreme forms of behaviour, for example early 20th-centuary German nationalism was a key factor in the rise of Nazism. Often one of its key features is intolerance of others

Question 56

What is an alternative type of nationalism that is often seen as more positive than extreme nationalism?

Answer 56

Civic nationalism

Question 57

Why is civic nationalism often seen as more positive than extreme nationalism

Answer 57

Because it can unite different groups of people together so they feel pride in their country.
- Governments often encourage it, so for example, in the USA, children salute the National flag each morning in school

Question 58

Explain how sport can socialise people into national identity

Answer 58

Through major sporting events such as the World Cup tournaments in athletics, rugby, football and other sports.
- Athletes will parade in national colours and costumes, anthems are played, countries are placed in league tables.
- Individuals will become national heroes and are supported by huge fan bases
- Most importantly of all, many of these competitions become the focus of massive media attention so images of athletes with national flags are almost unavoidable

Question 59

Explain how Poulton and Maguire felt the media coverage of the 2012 Olympics encouraged British nationalism?

Answer 59

Described the media coverage of ‘Team GB’ in the lead up to the London Olympics as being linked to fears of the breakup of the UK through the Scottish Independence movement

Question 60

What is an example of a ritual that reinforces national identity?

Answer 60

Remembrance Day ceremonies that can be found across Britain every November 11th. They reinforce an ‘imaged community’ (Anderson) and create pride around national identity

Question 61

Explain cultural traditions that celebrate shared history and national identity in different nations.

Answer 61

• Many relatively new nations, such as Australia, which officially became a separate nation in 1900, or New Zealand, which was founded by the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, celebrate National Days.
• This is a way of uniting people, many of whom will have different ethnicities, into a sense of belonging to their new nation.
• Within the UK, there is a marked sense of nationality for the people of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, often born out of a sense of having been dominated by English culture
• For example, in Wales, historically, the use of the Welsh language was discouraged but now in schools, the use of the language is encouraged and Welsh children are expected to study the Cwricwlwm Cymreig (Welsh Curriculum) through which students would learn the ‘culture, economy and history of Wales, and the influences which have shaped the country of today’.