socialisation culture and identity Flashcards
What is socialisation?
The process by which we learn about the norms and values of our society.
Define norms.
Behaviours the majority of people engage in.
Define values.
Morals or beliefs.
What are the agents of socialisation?
- Family
- Education
- Mass Media
- Peer group
- Religion
- Workplace
What is primary socialisation?
During the early years of life, their first experiences of socialisation.
What is secondary socialisation?
From school age onwards, an increasing number of influences socialise.
How does the family socialise children?
- Role models
- Positive and negative sanctions
- Gender roles
What did Parsons say about the function of the family?
The function of the family is to socialise the young.
What did Dennis and Erdos study?
Fatherless children are less likely to be successfully socialised into the culture of discipline.
What did Chapman find about gender roles in families?
Children are socialised into their gender roles through the chores they are given.
What did Williams observe during her study on toy buying?
Parents use the experience of toy buying to teach children how to operate in a consumer society.
What is the concept of ‘canteen culture’?
Set of norms and values that people in a particular organisation are socialised to accept - waddington
What is the role of peer groups in socialisation?
- Shared norms and values
- Role models
- Cultural comfort zones
- Peer pressure
- Gender socialisation
What did Blackman find about new wave girls?
They had shared interests in new wave music and wore the same fashions.
What is the hypodermic syringe model?
The media has a direct effect on its audience.
What is the two-step flow model?
The media has an indirect effect on its audience through discussions with friends.
What did Gauntlett find about gender representation in films?
Men are more likely to be shown as heroes and women as victims.
How does education function as an agent of socialisation?
- Formal curriculum
- Informal curriculum
What did Hatcher find about the education system?
It doesn’t encourage working class success.
What is the hidden curriculum?
The norms and values taught informally in the education system.
Define culture.
A ‘way of life’, focusing on the beliefs and customs of a society or social group.
What is a subculture?
A cultural subgroup differentiated by factors that unify the group.
What is consumer culture?
A culture where consumers desire goods and services for non-utilitarian reasons.
What are the features of a consumer culture according to Lury?
- Wide range of consumer goods
- Shopping as leisure
- Debt as a social norm
- Large scale packaging and promotion
What is McDonaldisation?
The spread of business practices that prioritize efficiency and predictability.
What is high culture?
The set of cultural products held in the highest esteem.
What is popular culture?
The totality of ideas and phenomena preferred within the mainstream culture.
Define multiculturalism.
A term describing societies with a proliferation of different cultures.
Fill in the blank: The four functions of religion according to Alpert are _______.
[Authority, Cohesion, Discipline, Collective worship]
True or False: Men are generally more religious than women according to Miller and Hoffmann.
False
What did Modood find about the importance of religion among young people?
67 percent of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis saw religion as ‘very important’.
What does multiculturalism emphasize?
The unique characteristics of different cultures
Multiculturalism is often associated with societies that have a variety of cultures due to immigration.
Who discussed the concept of McDonaldisation?
George Ritzer
Ritzer argues that society is becoming similar to a business, focusing on mass production of ideas and trends.
What influences workplace choices for many Chinese individuals?
Family and cultural background
This is evident in their employment in the catering industry.
How is the internet used by minority ethnic groups according to Parker and Song?
To organize social events and provide forums for discussion
This helps address issues related to different ethnic identities.
What role does religion play for minority ethnic groups according to Davie?
Maintaining cultural identity and community solidarity
This is particularly important in new environments.
Define cultural diversity.
Ethnic, gender, racial, and socioeconomic variety within a society
Cultural diversity reflects the variety of identities in a given society.
What is a passive identity?
An identity one is born or socialized into, such as gender or ethnicity
This concept is discussed by Bradley.
What is an active identity?
An identity that individuals actively choose to pursue, such as hobbies or beliefs
This is also explained by Bradley.
What is hybrid identity?
A new form of identity that emerges from the combination of two or more types of identity
This includes class, race, ethnicity, gender, and age.
What does the nature/nurture debate discuss?
The influence of biological factors versus environmental factors on behavior
Nature refers to genetics, while nurture refers to socialization.
Who was Genie and what does her case support?
Genie was a child confined to a small room; her case supports the nurture explanation
Her lack of language skills despite rehabilitation demonstrates the impact of socialization.
What happened to David Reimer and what does his case support?
David Reimer was reassigned as female after a botched circumcision; his case supports the nature explanation
He identified as male despite being raised as female.
What did the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart reveal?
Similarities and differences in twins raised in different families
It suggests a combination of nature and nurture influences.
What is formal social control?
Written rules or codes of conduct associated with formal agents of socialization
Examples include school rules and religious codes.
What is informal social control?
Expectations without written rules, often associated with family and peers
Peer expectations can lead to exclusion if not followed.
What are the four functions of religion according to Alpert?
- Authority
- Cohesion
- Discipline
- Collective worship
These functions help maintain social order and community.
What does Troyna and Williams argue about the British school curriculum?
It is ethnocentric, prioritizing white culture and the English language
This highlights issues of representation in education.
What is the role of peer groups in informal social control?
They establish expectations for behavior that can lead to exclusion from the group
These ‘rules’ are not formally documented.
What do Skelton and Francis discuss regarding playgrounds?
The existence of group areas in playgrounds
This reflects social dynamics among children.
What is the ‘macho lads’ school subculture?
A representation of popular culture among certain groups of boys
This subculture often emphasizes traditional masculinity.
What does Polhemus suggest about individual style?
We can ‘shop for our style,’ choosing how to portray ourselves
This implies that identity can be fluid and personalized.
