Resocialization

Question 1

What is the relationship between reference groups and membership groups?

Answer 1

References groups : are created when we look to groups with whom we identify with
- Usually reference groups are Membership Groups, but they do not have to be

Question 2

How does this relate to the concept of anticipatory socialization?

Answer 2

One can desire or expect to become a member of a reference group.
- This can result in Anticipatory Socialization, in
which you try to think, dress, and act like members
of the group

Question 3

What are the two functions of reference groups?
(N & C)

Answer 3

• Normative : norms for appropriate behavior
• Comparative : to evaluate ourselves and our beliefs, e.g., how intelligent, athletic, religious, masculine or feminine, etc.

Question 4

According to Schein, what five things were used to achieve Thought Reform among the general Chinese population?
(E. H. U. Te. Th.)

Answer 4

1. Encourage grievances against non-Communist groups or ideas, e.g., corrupt landlords (criticize the old Reference Groups)
2. Heavy reliance on group discussion (compare the Asch situation or Groupthink)
3. Use mutual and self-criticism to destroy emotional ties with the past (tear down old identities)
4. Teach Communist doctrine in a group setting (provide a new Reference Group, which builds a new identity and new set of beliefs)
5. Threat of expulsion from the Communist Party for those unwilling to reeducate themselves (backup sanction to gain compliance)

Question 5

By what two processes were Western prisoners in Peking led to understand the nature of their crime and confess their guilt?
( U & C )

Answer 5

1. Unfreezing (tearing down old self concept)
2. Changing (creating new self concept)

Question 6

In both examples, what were the agents of change? What social influence studies are we reminded of here?
- Unfreezing : (P. So. Se)
- Changing : (I & R)

Answer 6

Unfreezing involved the following:
- Physical resistance – undermined by inadequate diet, loss of sleep due to interrogations, illnesses. beating by cellmates, etc.
- Social supports – undermined by being cut off from outside and from old reference groups
- Self-image – undermined by tear down of self concept, humiliations, dependence on cellmates

Changing involved the following:
- Identification with cellmates (provide new reference group)
- Re-evaluating past behavior (building new identity & beliefs)

Question 7

How was brainwashing explained in class in terms of reference groups?

Answer 7

Reference groups play an important role in resocialization
- The most extreme form of resocialization is Brainwashing

Question 8

What gives rise to “role dispossession”? Explain.

Answer 8

There is a barrier between the inmate and the wider world

This can be achieved with :
- walls – such as at a prison
- distance – such as at a work camp
- rules – such as at a convent in a city

This results in role dispossession, an inability to carry out previous role-identities.

Question 9

What does physical nakedness symbolize?

Answer 9

It symbolizes the removal of the old identity and being provided a new identity
- It specifically refers to the leaving off and taking on concept

Question 10

What kinds of gestures or verbal responses are often involved?

Answer 10

Demeaning ones
- Being called names, cursed, talked about as if not present etc

Question 11

What are examples of contaminative exposure?

Answer 11

Contaminative exposure : violations of privacy
- Information files about you, open to staff
- Doorless toilets and showers
- Possessions searched or held by staff

Question 12

What are the 5 types of Total Institutions identified by Goffman?
( C. UT. IT. W. R )

Answer 12

1. Caretaking (with no threat to community) – e.g., orphanages, homes for blind or elderly
2. Unintentional threat – e.g., TB sanitarium, AIDS hospices
3. Intentional threat – e..g, prisons, POW camps
4. Work-like task – e.g, oil rigs, work camps, military camps, naval ships
5. Religious retreats and training stations – e.g., monasteries, boarding schools

Question 13

What are the 6 functions of Total Institutions described in class?
(L. Is. Insu. Inst. R. S)

Answer 13

1. Life support
2. Isolation
3. Insulation
4. Instrumental
5. Retribution
6. Social Influence

Question 14

Kanter studied what kind of Total Institution?

Answer 14

Utopian communities

Question 15

What were the three social system problems that Kanter identified?
(Con. Coh SC)

Answer 15

1.Continuance – keeping participants in the system
2. Cohesion – keeping the group from splitting up
3. Social Control – obtaining obedience to group norms

Question 16

Name and give examples of the 6 commitment mechanisms.
Continuance (S & I)
Cohesion (R & C)
Social Control (M & S)

Answer 16

For Continuance:
- SACRIFICE – give up something considered valuable e.g., tobacco, alcohol etc
- INVESTMENT – giving resources to the organization e.g., property, money, time

For Cohesion:
- RENUNCIATION – giving up relationships with
a. The outside world
b. Dyadic relationships inside
c. Family relationships both outside and inside
- COMMUNION – mingling of self with group, “we feeling” e.g., group ownership, communal work, group ritual, singing (if allowed), dancing (if allowed), similar clothing

For Social Control:
- MORTIFICATION – strip away old identity and self-determination e.g., confession, self-criticism etc
- SURRENDER – giving decision-making to the group
Ideologically – “institutionalized awe “ (cf. Cathedral), appealing to higher authority (justice, nature, God)
- Structurally – distance and mystery of leader’s decision-making e.g., private vision from God; can’t recall leaders

Question 17

What two kinds of factors did Lofland feel were important in conversion to the Doomsday Cult?
(P Con. & S Cont.)

Answer 17

• Predisposing conditions : making one ripe for conversion
• Situational contingencies : which determined the group joined

Question 18

What more specific factors did Lofland identify?
Predisposing Conditions
1. T
2. R
3. RS

Situational Conditions
4. TP
5. C
6. L
7. I

Answer 18

Predisposing Conditions
1. Tension : A discrepancy between ideal and actual situation
2. A Religious Problem-Solving perspective
- which includes :
a. The Psychiatric – the source of problems is in the self
b. The Political – the source of problems is in society
c. The Religious – the source of problems is in relation to the supernatural
3. Religious Seekership

Situational Conditions
4. The turning point - at a point in their lives where they had given up old commitments
5. Cult affective bonds - developed emotional ties to the group.
6. Lack of extra-cult bonds - lacked ties to people outside the group
7. Intensive interaction - needed to make the person a deployable agent who will to do what the group wants.

Question 19

Which factor is needed for “total conversion” to become a “deployable agent”? Explain.

Answer 19

Intensive interaction

Question 20

7. a. According to criminologists, who does most of the resocialization in prisons?

Answer 20

Most of the resocialization in prisons is done by the inmates, not the staff.

Question 21

How does Schrag identify social types in prison? What types did he identify?

SJ - Pro
RG - An
CP - Ps
O - As
D - U

Answer 21

Stated that here were various social types in prison that are identified by their orientations to the Illegitimate system of the inmates and the legitimate system of the staff and outside

Identified the following 5 types :
1. Square John - prosocial
2. Right Guy - antisocial
3. Con-Poli - pseudosocial
4. Outlaw - asocial
5. Ding - unpredictable

Question 22

What was the most significant feature of the POW camps? How was this accomplished, both formally and informally?

Answer 22

The destruction of the group structure; got rid of reference groups and new ones weren’t provided

Question 23

What does Goffman call the process of identity change that occurs in Total Institutions?

Answer 23

Mortification of self

Question 24

Asking for permission illustrates what more general feature?

Answer 24

Giving up adult self determination

Question 25

Why is it that institutions with different official goals may have many features in common, and how does this relate to the job requirements for lower staff?

Answer 25

You have official goals, but they can also be secondary goals within a big institution

Question 26

What does this imply about difficulties in achieving official goals?

Answer 26

The goals often conflict with each other

Question 27

Which ones are associative vs dissociative? How does this distinction related to Schein’s discussion of Western Prisoners?

D - (R. S. M)
A - (I. C. S)

Answer 27

• Dissociative : the ones that cut you from reference groups (reunification, sacrifice, modification)
• Associative : the ones that commit you to the group (investment, communion, surrender)

Question 28

What additional factor did Wheeler find evidence for, and how was this explained in class?

Answer 28

Time to release