Socialisation and Agents of Socialisation

Question 1

Socialisation

Answer 1

The process by which we learn the things that make us ‘fit in’ with our society, such as language, norms and values, and ways of behaving appropriately in different situations. It is seen as a lifelong process.
It starts at birth and ends when a person dies. Also, the process by which we acquire the beliefs, habits and skills necessary to play an appropriate role in society. The process of socialisation is learned and controlled through a number of different social institutions.

Question 2

Agents of Socialisation

Answer 2

The individuals, groups and institutions which play a part in the socialisation process and teaching appropriate norms and values.

Question 3

Primary Socialisation

Answer 3

The first stage of socialisation where the norms and values are taught to a child within the family. Includes learning the language, gender roles and basic norms and values, largely takes place within the family. These can be formally taught, but they are most likely to be picked up informally by children imitating their parents.

Question 4

Secondary Socialisation

Answer 4

Being taught how to behave by people in the wider world. A lifelong process and occurs in a wide variety of
organisations, groups and settings such as school, peers, place of work and religion, among others.

Question 5

Role Models

Answer 5

A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people. The term role model is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton.

Question 6

Imitation and The Family

Answer 6

One way children learn from their parents
is through imitation. For example, they may copy the way their parents talk or their table manners.
The family teaches the basic norms and values through process of imitation. Children copy the behaviour of family members and learn the social roles expected of them by looking at role models in their family.

Question 7

Sanctions and The Family

Answer 7

Parents may use sanctions to reinforce approved behaviour and punish behaviour defined as unacceptable. Such processes help children learn how they are expected to behave in a range of social situations. Positive sanctions include praising a child when they behave in a desirable way. When parents want to discourage inappropriate behaviour they can use negative sanctions, such as withholding phone time.

Question 8

Gender and the Family

Answer 8

Gender roles within the family are also likely to influence a child’s socialisation. If a young boy sees his father going out to work every day and being the main breadwinner than he will want to play the same role in his future.

Question 9

Gender Socialization

Answer 9

Girls and boys are expected to act in certain ways, and these ways are socialized from birth by many parents (and society). For example, girls are expected to be clean and quiet, while boys are messy and loud. As children get older, gender stereotypes become more apparent in styles of dress and choice of leisure activities. Boys and girls who do not conform to gender stereotypes are usually ostracized by same-age peers for being different. This can lead to negative effects, such as lower self-esteem.

Question 10

Peer Groups

Answer 10

Peers of a similar age.
The peer group is a very important agent of socialisation during the school years (ages 5–18).
An individual will learn a lot about acceptable behaviour from peers, because of the desire to ‘fit in’, conformity.
Within peer groups, there are hierarchies
‘leaders’ and have a higher status than the ‘followers’.
Peer groups can also be a source of rebellion, youth subcultures such as goths and punks are peers who share norms and values and influence each other to resist the norms and values of wider society.

Question 11

Skelton and Francis (2003)

Answer 11

Looked at peer groups in primary schools – for example, in the classrooms and in the playground. Play was very gendered, with boys dominating the space and girls taking part is separate activities, such as skipping.

Question 12

Harris (1998)

Answer 12

Looked at the comparative influence of parents and peer groups, concluding that the peer group can be more influential than the family in shaping children’s identities. Peer pressure is an important influence on behaviour – though as Harris points out, peer groups don’t push, they pull. She means that an individual’s desire to conform is a stronger influence than the peer group’s overt pressure/bullying.

Question 13

Sewell (2000)

Answer 13

Uses the concept of ‘cultural comfort zones’ to describe the way in which we
 like to associate with those who are similar to ourselves – to stay in our comfort zone. He links this particularly to African-Caribbean boys, preferring to hang around in gangs with peers than to be in the white middle-class world of teachers and school, which is an alien environment.

Question 14

Education

Answer 14

This process takes place after the family.
At school we learn valuable knowledge and skills so we can interact with others in the culture we are from.
Sociologists separate this learning into the formal and hidden curriculum.

Question 15

Formal Curriculum

Answer 15

This is all the things that we officially learn at school that appears on our timetable. Maths, English, French and Sociology are all examples.

Question 16

Hidden Curriculum

Answer 16

This is the unofficial aspects of learning i.e. Everything that is learnt ‘incidentally’ at school through the rules, regulations and roles adopted.

Question 17

Formal Curriculum Example

Answer 17

At school, everyone learns the formal curriculum (maths, French, history, science, and so on). This will be based on the language and culture of society, and reflect its values. For example, maths, English and science are highly valued, history is mostly from a British perspective and child development is usually taught by and taken by females.

Question 18

Hidden Curriculum Example

Answer 18

This is all the other norms and values you are learning at school outside of your formal lessons.
For example, you learn: That there are sanctions for those who disobey, such as detention. That society values achievement, and you learn how that is measured. About the school structure itself – e.g., the genders of the teachers at different levels of authority in the school. Teachers are the main people who pass on these norms and values, and you will also learn about your own place in society by the way they interact with you.

Question 19

Bowles and Gintis (1976)

Answer 19

They agreed that the hidden curriculum exists, but did not think that that it was just about learning shared norms and values.
They argued that the education system was a ‘giant myth-making machine’ which brainwashed children through the hidden curriculum into the obedience and unquestioning attitude that they would need in the world of work.
Pupils are taught to accept their place in society, believe that their achievements and failures are of their own making, and that everything is fair and based on merit.
See the hidden curriculum and the socialisation that takes place in the education system as very significant, but not good for the majority. 


Question 20

Media

Answer 20

The mass media consists of newspapers, magazines, books, internet, radio and TV, music, mobile phones and films.
Media saturated world.
According to the hypodermic syringe model there is a direct correlation existing between the violence and anti social behaviour portrayed in the media.

Question 21

Media and Socialisation

Answer 21

Many of us like to claim that we are not influenced by the media, and that we just use it to communicate or to find out things, but most sociologists would disagree.
Socialised by the media is through its representation of different social groups, which may influence our views. For example, women are represented in very stereotypical ways which may affect the way we judge women, or affect women themselves and their own self-image.

Question 22

Mulvey (1975)

Answer 22

The concept of the ‘male gaze’ to describe how the camera in films ‘eyes up’ female characters, encouraging viewers to assess their bodies and their attractiveness, from a male perspective.
An area of concern often expressed is media influence on violence in society, various films and games have been blamed for ‘copycat’ acts of violence, as viewers were apparently influenced by them.
More widely, the media is seen to influence culture. Some argue it has created a consumer culture where we are encouraged to buy products based on celebrity endorsements or association with a particular lifestyle or image.

Question 23

Young (2007)

Answer 23

Argues that the media is partly responsible for criminality. Argues that the media has created a ‘bulimic society’ – one with constant hunger and desire to binge on everything and anything.
The bulimic society is one in which even those with little money are ‘hooked on Gucci, BMW, Nike, watching television 11 hours per day … worshipping success, money, wealth and status’ but at the same time are ‘systematically excluded from its realisation’.
It is a culture of ‘get rich or die trying’, when too often only the latter alternative is available. Can explain criminality among youths from deprived backgrounds.