Socialisation Flashcards
Agencies of Socialisation
Social groups and institutions that teach us how to behave, e.g. family, education, mass media, peer groups, religion etc.
Primary Socialisation
The first stage in learning how to behave as part of society. This takes place during our early childhood (0-5yrs). The main agency for socialisation is family - we are taught how to walk, communicate and have morals.
Secondary Socialisation
The second stage of learning how to behave as part of society. It is during our late childhood (5-15yrs) we are taught norms and values. The main agencies of socialisation include peer groups, media, education etc. We learn how to interact with different age groups, obey authority and more.
Morals
Knowing the principles of right and wrong.
Norms
Unwritten rules of appropriate or expected behaviour, e.g. wearing clothes in public.
Values
Beliefs held in importance, e.g. honesty.
Culture
The way of life for a social group, i.e. values, language traditions.
Cultural Relativity
Refers to variations in the way different social groups conduct themselves, e.g. traditionally Chinese people eat with chopsticks where British people eat with a knife and fork.
Cultural Universals
Similarities in the way different social groups conduct themselves, e.g. having manners is important to the majority of people in society.
Dominant Culture
Refers to a widespread and massively influential way people live in society, e.g. language, religion, social customs.
Subculture
A social group who has beliefs and behaviours which are different to the rest of society, e.g. gangsters or hippies.
Formal Socialisation
Learning skills, values and norms with planned, organised experiences.
Informal Socialisation
Learning skills, values and norms outside of an institute or formal procedure.
Social Control
Ways of managing society using a combination of rewards and sanctions.
Agencies of Social Control
Refers to social groups or institutes which manage our behaviour - split into formal and informal, depending in the severity of the sanction.
Formal - Police + Courts (prison vs freedom/rights)
Informal - Family + Education (certificates/verbal praise vs exclusion)
Feral Children
Unsocialised children who have been kept apart from the rest of society during early development (childhood), e.g. kept captive or raised in the jungle.
Socialisation
The process through which we learn the culture and appropriate behaviour (norms and values) of the particular group in society we are born into. This prepares us for the roles we play in society.
Wild Boy of Aveyron
- Victor of Aveyron was a French feral child who was found in the woods at the age of around twelve.
- He was described as a strange creature, looking more animal-like than human. He spoke in shrill, strange-sounding cries, relieved himself as he wanted and refused to wear clothes.
- Was only toilet-trained and taught to speak a few words.
Gender Socialisation
The process through which individuals learn appropriate masculine or feminine behaviour to acquire their gender identity.
Sex
Refers to physical attributes which make us a man or woman, in particular our secondary sex characteristics.
Gender Socialisation and Ann Oakley
Ann Oakley believed there were four ways individuals are taught to be either male or female:
- Canalisation
- Verbal Appellations
- Manipulation
- Different Activities
Role
The part an individual plays in society.
Role Conflict
Disagreement over or difficulty satisfying the expectations of a particular part an individual plays in society. This could be because their duties are unclear, too difficult and/or disagreeable.
E.g. A working parent who is devoted to their job, but feels compelled to care for their child(ren).
Status
A position held by an individual within a social structure.
Ascribed Status
A position within a social system which is beyond an individual’s control. It is not earned, rather a position they are born into, e.g. sex, race, ethnic origins etc.
Achieved Status (or Acquired Status)
A position in a social system that is earned, or chosen, by the individual - reflecting their skills, abilities and efforts, e.g. being a professional athlete or a criminal.
Joint Conjugal Roles
When domestic duties are shared equally between married or cohabiting couples.
Margaret Mead
Conducted a study on some tribes in New Guinea to find out whether gender roles were the same in all societies. She found that both genders were either equal or women held the power. Some women were violent and aggressive - often approaching men in marriage. Whereas, men were more emotional and would care for children.
Feminists
A group of sociologists who recognise the subordinate position of women in society and advocate equal rights between the sexes.
First Wave of Feminism
Started mid-nineteenth century, when suffragettes fought for women’s rights to vote and be educated.
Second Wave of Feminism
Stared in the 1960s, when women demanded equal rights in the workplace and home - with better childcare and free contraception. Has been criticised for being too prescriptive and for denying, rather than celebrating, femininity.
Post WW2 women had gained a right to education and a place in industry.
Third Wave of Feminism
Most recent development within the feminist movement, which promotes liberal feminism - emphasis upon personal choice and individual freedom. An example of a liberal feminist is Ann Oakley who argues that families in Britain are not “symmetrical”.
Sociologist Approach
- Believe we behave the way we do due to our upbringing and environment
- Conduct research using interviews, observations and questionnaires
Psychologist Approach
- Believe we behave the way we do due to our introvert/extrovert personality
- Conduct research using experiments and personality tests
Biologist Approach
- Believe we behave the way we do due to our genes and natural instincts
- Conduct research using experiments and scientific theories (e.g. evolution and animal kingdom)
Journalist Approach
- Will exaggerate and sensationalise stories
- Have a biased approach
- Work within a deadline
- Headline
Functionalists
Views society as a living organism which is composed of ‘organs’ representing agencies of socialisation. Each agency provides a different function in order for society to operate on a whole.
- Provides an excuse for inequality and exploitation
- Gives Bourgeoisie an element of legitimacy
Marxists
Believe a capitalist society with a class system allows for the minority (Bourgeoisie) to rule over and exploit the majority (Proletariat). An example is the Industrial Revolution in Britain, where the working classes were used as cheap labour. Marxists support communism.
New Rights Sociologists
Take a right wing approach to various political and social issues - support the Conservative party. Believe the traditional nuclear family is most desirable and any other family set up is responsible for society’s ills (especially lone parent families who create dysfunctional children).
- Support introduction of league table (1988) to raise attainment
- Critical of welfare state as it creates a ‘dependency culture’
Difference between ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’
Race refers to the colour of your skin, where ethnicity refers to your background and origins.
Nationality
The state of being part of a country whether by birth or naturalization (acquiring citizenship).
Multicultural
When several cultures coexist in a particular place, e.g. London is ethnically diverse so multicultural.
Consensus
- Society is held together due to key norms and values which are passed down from one generation to the next through socialisation.
- All social groups are positive and in agreement with each other
Conflict
- Society is structured is a way which some groups perform better
- Ruling classes hold all the power
- Leads to disagreement
Beliefs
Something that one accepts as true
Conformity
Compliance with standards, rules or laws.
Customs
A traditional or widely accepted way of behaving.
Discrimination
Unjust or prejudicial treatment of a social group, especially on the grounds of gender, race and class.
Role Model
An individual who sets an example with other look up to and imitate.
Peer group
A group of people of the same age, status or interests.
Prejudice
Preconceived ideas about a group or individual.
Hypothesis
A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.
