Socialisation Flashcards
Socialisation
The process by which an individual learns the norms and values of society - The way we learn to be a member of society
Primary socialisation
The informal process from which we learn the norms and values of our culture. 0-5years
- Main influence is family
Nature debate
Genes and other biological factors
Nurture debate
Upbringing
Agencies of socialisation
- Family
- Peer groups
- Education
- Media
- Religion
- Workplace
Secondary socialisation
What is received after primary socialisation. It is an ongoing process.
Deliberate socialisation
Teaching them personally on purpose
E.g. Telling a child to say ‘please’ and ‘thankyou’
Unconscious socialisation
Unintentionally passing on behaviour/ mannerisms
Social control
The ways in which our behaviour is controlled. Behaviour is controlled and reinforced by sanctions. Can be used either encourage or discourage behaviour.
Deviance
Breaking away from what is considered normal in a certain context.
Formal social control
An official reaction or treatment
Informal social control
An unofficial casual reaction and treatment
Give two examples of formal mechanisms of social control
- Warnings from the police
- Sentence from the court
- Dismissal from work
- Exclusion from school
Give two examples of informal mechanisms of social control
- Socially excluding a person from a peer group
- Disappointed reaction from parents
- Being passed over for a promotion at work
- Celebrities being criticised in magazines
Give an example of a Positive Formal sanction
Pay rise
Award/certificates
Give an example of a positive informal sanction
Saying ‘thank you’
Applause
Give an example of a negative formal sanction
Exclusion from school
Formal warning from school
A sentence from the court
Give an example of a positive informal sanction
Compliments
A smile
Skeleton and Francis (2003)
Peer group as an agent of socialisation
Looked at peer groups in primary schools - Found that play was very gendered with boys dominating space and the girls taking part in separate activities eg skipping.
Sue Lees (1983,1997)
Peer group as an agent of socialisation
Looked at the pressure put on teenage girls by peers - eg how double standards are applied to girls’ and boys’ sexual behaviour. Such as the term ‘slag’ which is used to control girls behaviour.
Judith Harris (1998)
Peer group as an agent of socialisation
Looked at the comparitive influence of parents and peer groups, concluding that peer groups can be more influential than family in shaping children’s identites.
Mulvey (1975)
Media as an agent of socialisation
Uses concept of the ‘male gaze’ to describe how the camera ‘eyes up’ female characters encouraging viewers to assess their bodies and their attractiveness, from a male perspective.
Jock young (2007)
Media as an agent of socialisation
British criminologists that argues that the media is partly responsile for criminality and that is has created a ‘bulimic society’ - one with the constant hunger and desire to binge on anything.
Also argues that this can explain the criminality amoung youths from deprived backgrounds.
Currie (1999)
Media as an agent of socialisation
Analysed the content of magazines for teenage girls spanning a 40-year period and noticed a dramatic increase in the importance of beautification in recent years.
She stated the growth in significance of men’s magazines in recent years also cannot be overlooked. Magazines such as Loaded, FHM, GQ and Maxim could be seen as outcomes of the consumer culture and men’s relationship with it. The magazines are selling a particular aspirational male lifestyle.
Evidence for nature/nurture debate
Isabel Chicken girl
Found when she was ten years old in portugal. Left in a chicken coop with hens by her mother.
She could not speak, was not toilet trained.
Was physically malformed
Method of rewarding behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Family
Functionalism: family provides appropriate gender roles for children to learn from
Method of punishing behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Family
Oakley: Manipulation, whereby families actively discourage gender inappropriate behaviours
Method of rewarding behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Peer group
Being included in more group activities.
Gain a high status eg. have a lot of followers on a social media platform
Method of punishing behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Peer group
getting excluded from them to realise what certain types of behaviour is tolerated in a group.
Another way could be people having negative opinions about you, your behaviours and views which could lead to you getting criticised by a specific action taken.
Method of rewarding behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Media
Allows us to communicate and find out things about what is going on society.
Method of rewarding behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Religion
Religion allows us to feel a part of a community and follow a set or sets of rules.
Method of punishing behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Religion
In this case, this could indicate a certain individual being criticised by a community and also depending on religion entering hell or not reincarnating into something good.
Method of punishing behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Media
In the chase of punishment, it could portray a particular age group as bad in the case of them doing drugs or committing crimes which could ruin the reputation of an individual and be placed in a certain category based on their actions.
Method of rewarding behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Education
Giving someone an R3 for doing the homework on time or answering questions.
Method of rewarding behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Work
Allows us to learn about norms and values to gain experience in the workplace and do your job correctly. Once you do your job correctly you will receive a pay rise or certificates.
Method of punishing behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Education
Getting excluded from school after doing something which goes against the school rules
Method of punishing behaviour to ensure people follow norms and values
Work
Getting suspended if you do the job incorrectly or having to speak with your boss or being passed over for a promotion at work.
Twin studies
Bouchard researched identiical twins who had been seperated at birth.
Example of ‘hidden cirrculum’
- Respecting authority.
- respect for other pupils’ opinions.
- punctuality.
- aspiring to achieve.
- having a ‘work ethic’
Modood abd Berthoud (1997)
Religion
Surveyed young people and found that 67% of the pakistanis and bangladeshi saw relgion as ‘very important’ compared to white british youths.
Bowles and Gintis (1976)
-Education as an agent of socialisation
Argues there was a hidden curriculum in schools. The education system brainwashed children through the hidden curriculum. Pupils are taught to:
- Accept their place in society.
- Believe that they are responsible for their own achievements and failures.
- That everything is fair and based on merit
Waddington (1999)
-The Workplace as an agent of socialisation
‘Canteen culture’
Studied the onboarding process that happens in the police force. Waddington called it ‘canteen culture’ to illustrate the norms and values police officers came to hold when they were off-duty together. This culture is very different from the norms and values they are expected to demonstrate when on-duty.
Reiner (2000)
-The Workplace as an agent of socialisation
Macho values
studied police canteen culture and argued that features of this culture were suspicion, macho values, and racism. This fueled the racism and mistrust of people of colour in the police force.
Goffman (1959)
-The Workplace as an agent of socialisation
‘impression management’
Described the ‘impression management’ that we do in order to present a version of ourselves to people. When at work we will perform impression management, we may present a different self to colleagues, bosses, and clients/customers.
