socialisation

Question 1

definition

Answer 1

the way in which an individual human being adopts the norms and values for their appropriate social roles in society, these are internalised into an individuals personality through primary socialisation and secondary socialisation

Question 2

status

Answer 2

• status represents the social power of your social role
• ascribed status is given
• achieved status is earned

Question 3

personal identity

Answer 3

• personal identity is a combination of signifiers that make us an individual human
• our names and physical biology are the most common
• in bureaucratic societies we also have a number of other signifiers such as national insurance and sqa numbers

Question 4

social identity

Answer 4

• social identity is made up of the signifiers that derive from labels, social roles and norms & values
• while we have more control over our social identity, many aspects are imposed on us

Question 5

socialisation through the family

Answer 5

• family is seen as an important building block of society
• a striking change in family structure has been the increase in single parent families
• we learn formal skills and informal things and take on roles within the family
• family teach their children the social norms and values of their particular culture

Question 6

socialisation through the peer group

Answer 6

• a peer group is a group of people of similar age, status and interests
• peer groups often dress alike, behave alike and form clubs/cliques
• peer groups influence a lot of what we do and the way we think
• a need to be liked is most important
• the peer group can play a significant role in controlling behaviour because members opinions are held so highly

Question 7

socialisation through education

Answer 7

• in the uk, all children must be educated by law
• we have a formal educational system and it is seen as a very important agent in socialisation
• education provides members of society with many of the formal skills that are necessary to survive in society
• schools encourage children to learn and conform to the norms and values expected by socialisation

Question 8

socialisation through media

Answer 8

• most people in uk society have access to media
• the mass media is seen as one of the main agents of socialisation today
• some think we are being influenced in a negative way by violence, aggression and drug abuse, the use of advertising is seen as being potentially harmful
• some studies show that the media does have a strong influence but others show people have a mind of their own
• the mass media generally encourages conformist behaviour, such as conformity to gender roles, often promoted through advertising

Question 9

socialisation through religion

Answer 9

• christianity is the dominant religion in the UK
• where religion is a major part of peoples lives, it is a main agent of socialisation
• it can be a source of comfort and meaning for individuals but it can also be seen seen as a way of keeping control of people
• religion is often perceived as a belief in some kind of supernatural power that influences or controls peoples lives