Socialisation, Culture And Identity Flashcards
What are norms ?
They are specific and expected patterns of acceptable behaviour that are based on the values of a culture. Eg in all societies, there are norms governing dress.They are enforced by positive and negative sanctions which can be formal or informal which are concerned with maintaining order in society. Most people conform (follow norms) however those who don’t are considered deviant.
What are values?
General ideas that are accepted by the majority of society. They define what is important, worthwhile and worth striving for. Eg in the UK we value life, success, honesty, loyalty, family and hygiene etc.
Relationship between Norms and values….
Many norms can be seen as reflections of values. Eg the value placed on human life is expressed in terms of norms eg associated with hygiene in the home and in public areas, the norms defining acceptable ways for settling an argument which usually exclude physical violence and manslaughter.
Essential for the operation of human society. Since humans have no instincts, their behaviour must be guided and regulated by norms. Without shared norms, members of society would be unable to even comprehend the behaviour of others. Without shared values, members of society would be unlikely to cooperate and work together. Thus an ordered and stable society requires shared norms and values.
How are norms and values relative?
They’re relative (not fixed, not the same for everyone and in all situations)
Historically Relative = They change over time (eg smoking in pubs was a norm now its a health hazard so it’s banned)
Culturally relative = Islamic clothing standards of dressing modest eg dubai mall knees and shoulders covered vs western culture example of inter societies
Social control - formal agencies ?
It’s explicit and obvious so people are aware it is happening. It directly controls the behaviour of the population.
Main agency is the criminal justice system where the police make sure we conform to the laws created by the legislature, the judiciary who deal with those accused of breaking the law and the prison service who look after those who were found guilty for breaking the law.
- police (issue warnings)
- law / legal system
- courts (issue sentences)
- government
- military
Sanctions used in brackets
What is culture and how is it passed on?
The whole system of behaviour and beliefs of a society or group; which includes knowledge, language, art, music, fashion, values and norms, law, customs, traditions, lifestyle and more.
Passed on through the process of socialisation (primary agent = family AND secondary agencies = education, work place, religion, mass media, peers)
Cultural diversity?
Differences and variety found in societies;
- can be seen between cultures = intercultural diversity
- can be seen within cultures = intracultural diversity
The UK is extremely culturally diverse (intracultural diversity) due to cultures of different ethnic groups and regional groups and age groups.
Subcultures?
Culture within a culture
A smaller grouping of people who share distinctive norms and values within a wider culture
Subcultures based on age, ethnicity, music, fashion, political beliefs etc
For example within the YOUTH CULTURE there are separate youth subcultures differing on fashion social class gender etc mods, teddy boys, new Wave Girls etc.
Cultural hybridity?
A cross between or merging of two or more cultures
UK culture is often seen as hybrid because it contains aspects of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish culture But also influences from Asian , European and Us culture etc.
In a global society hybridity becomes more common and can be seen the most in aspects such as music, fashion and food eg Indo Chinese cuisine which fuses together indian and Chinese cooking.
In the UK, cultural hybridity is considered in relation to second or third generation immigrants who adopt hybrid identities, mixing aspects of their parents culture with aspects of British culture. One example are brasians, which is a combination of British and Asian culture. Johal and Bains refer to this as having dual identities eg Brasians ‘code switch’ depending on who they’re with eg friends vs family and this can be seen in films like Bend it Like a Beckham
Dubai culture = traditional Arab society and Western US/UK eg brands and tourism
Dominant culture?
The main culture of a society, generally followed by the majority of people
High culture?
- based on the tastes of the wealthy and educated people who are of A high status in society.
- appreciated by those with a high level of education and social upbringing
- eg; classical music, the theatre, literature eg Shakespeare, art galleries
Overall they tend to Have high levels of social capital
Marxism and high culture?
Marxist Perspective - understanding high culture needs access to a particular kind of education. The ruling class benefit from their culture being seen as superior as they are seen to be more intellectually able to appreciate this type of culture. REFERENCE TO BOURDIEU
The division between high and low culture is reinforced through the socialisation process. Agencies such as education and the mass media, present some cultural products as more worthy than others.
Bourdieu study?
Bourdieu (Marxist) The dominant ruling class has the power to shape which attributes are valued and are in a position to acquire and pass capital to their children to give them the best start in life (giving them an unfair advantage). - cultural capital = knowledge, skills, education that gives a person a higher status in society - economic capital = economic resources (assets and cash) - social capital = group memberships, relationships, networks of influence and support etc Through the process of socialisation, the children of the wealthy learn to understand and appreciate high culture as this is the type of culture that their parents appreciate.
Popular culture?
- cultural products / activities that are enjoyed by the majority of a population eg watching Tv, reading tabloid newspapers and going to the cinema
- might be ‘shallow activities’ for brainwashing and dumbing down the masses and the media produces access to it
- it’s generally contrasted with high culture (inferior to)
Popular culture and Marxism?
Marxist sociologists believe that mass culture is an ideological tool of the ruling class which aims to keep the working class from thinking critically about their exploited and unequal positions in society. Mass culture allegedly focuses people’s minds on celebrities and materialism and undermines the capacity of the working class to think for themselves.
Changes between high culture and popular culture?
STRINATI now argues that elements of high culture have now become part of popular culture and vice versa. Eg high culture art is now turned into mass produced coffee mugs and socks AND literature is turned into tv series and major movies eg Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Equal opportunities eg in our society today, help available to poorer people eg state benefits, redistribution of wealth using inheritance tax etc to stop the small rich families staying rich. Grammar schools a free alternative to private schools. Overall the gap between the two is closing slightly.
Global culture?
Opposite to subculture as global culture implies that we are all becoming part of one, all embracing culture that affects all parts of the world due to social, political and economic connectiveness eg McLuhan global village
growing trend of cultural products and activities becoming universal
- brands, food, films etc are homogenous across many countries eg McDonald’s etc. Promotes a global culture and weakening local cultures as local food outlets close as they cannot compete with TNC competitors. Promotes the spread of a single culture where American culture dominates, with nation states losing their distinct cultural identities.
Consumer culture?
Consumer goods are widely available with excessive consumption and the debt associated with it are regarded as acceptable and ‘normal’
Shopping = a leisure pursuit
Designer and branded goods = gain status in the eyes of others = a norm
This is all encouraged and reinforced by the media especially the advertising industry and celebrity culture.
Socialisation ?
Learning the norms and values of society. Learning how to fit into culture / become members of society.
It continues throughout an individuals lifetime
Primary socialisation?
The first and most important stage of learning
Early years of life 0-5
Agent 1 = Family (in intimate and prolonged contact)
Basic norms and values taught
There are many ways in which we learn from our parents;
- role modelling (through imitation eg by copying their behaviour)
- disciplinary sanctions to behaviour
Positive = such as praise to reward socially approved behaviour
Negative = such as a telling off to punish deviant behaviour
Some sociologists suggest that childhood socialisation is not as effective today as it was in the past. Phillips argues that children have too many rights which they have used to resist parental power, undermining socialisation
primary socialisation and Functionalists (Parsons)
See primary socialisation as a process essential to VALUE CONSENSUS (a general agreement around the main values of society) and SOCIAL INTEGRATION (the integration of people into society). Parsons describes the family as a ‘personality factory’ where the parents mound the children’s personality in the image of society ie filled with shared cultural values.
Primary socialisation and Marxism (Zaretsky)
Marxists like Zaretsky suggest that cultural values into which parents socialise their children are the product of ruling class ideology and are intended to make sure that children turn into conformist and passive citizens that never challenge the inequality and exploitation that underpins the organisation of capitalist society eg obedience and respect for authority.
