SOCIALIZATION Flashcards
what is socialisation
The process through which we become aware of and come to understand societal norms, expectations, beliefs and values
- centered on the impact of culture and learning on individuals and how these processes shape individuals and groups
are social scientists interested in nature or nurture
NURTURE - cultural and social learning
(not nature - biology)
what is the target of socialisation
The person being socialized
what are the agents of socalization
The people, groups, and institutions who are doing the socializing
what is social reproduction
The process of persurving norms, values, and social practices
what is primary socialisation
- transmitted through the primary groups in infancy and childhood
- The initial process of learning the ways of a society or group
what are primary groups
intimate relationships among small groups who generally spend a great deal of time together e.g. families, primary schools
- the main agents of primary socialization
what is secondary socialization / resocialization
the learning process that takes place each time we join a new secondary group
- occurs when an individual is socialized into the institutional norms of the secondary group
what are secondary groups
tend to be larger, more temporary, more impersonal, and more specialized than primary groups e.g. Work, Club, University Class
what is Our sociological understanding of the process of socialization shaped by
symbolic interactionism - Classic Theorist Link: Mead
what is self-consciousness
An individual’s awareness of how others see them - developed through the reactions and attitudes of others in social interactions
how does the social self develop
- Children develop into social beings through imitating those around them
- Children begin to see themselves the way others see them
- Children begin to understand that they are separate individuals distinct from those around them
difference from Development of “me” and “I”
- The “I” is self’s unsocialized impulses and attitudes
- But the “me” has internalized the generalized reactions and attitudes of other members of society - it’s the side of our self that follows the norms and expectations of society and works to control our behavior accordingly
what is the generalised other
The emergence of a self that responds to individual reactions and norms and expectations of society
what are the 4 Agents of socialization
family
schools
peers
media
explain family as an agent of socialzation
- Considered the most influential agent of socialization - has a lifetime influence
- Families teach foundational skills (how to eat, dress, bathe) but also values, norms, and beliefs e.g. We learn about gender through observing how our family
members interact with one another - Intersections of race, class, and gender, also shape how children are socialized
- link back to SF, Conflict Theory, SI
explain schools as an agent of socialzation
- Most children begin school by the age of 5 and then spend the next 13 years (if not more) in educational institutions
- Students learn academic content (writing, reading, etc.) as well as important norms and values (e.g. Pledge of Allegiance, sharing, respecting others, listening)
- HIDDEN CURRICULUM - Different experiences in schools based on race, class, gender
- Link back to SF, Conflict Theory, SI
explain peers as an agent of socialzation
- Extremely powerful agents of socialization - children spend more time with peers than family members (especially as children age)
- Peers (like schools) can reinforce OR challenge what children have learned from their family
- Peers can expose us to new cultures, norms, values, and beliefs
- PEER PRESSURE: Pressure to conform to the norms of one’s social group
- Research has shown children engage in gender segregated and gender integrated play and that children actively shape their gender socialization experiences
- Link back to SF, Conflict Theory, SI
explain media as an agent of socialzation
- Increasingly influential agent of socialization - easy access to media sources (Social media, smart phones, multiple televisions and computers in homes)
- Impact of recent increase in media consumption - Positive and negative health benefits
what is role strain
Competing demands within a particular social role and status e.g. student has multiple exams on same day
what is role conflict
When one’s different social roles conflict with each other e.g. a college student misses classes to take care of her sister, who is ill - role of student conflicts with her role as sister
what is identity
- The characteristics by which we are known - constantly shaped, reshaped, and negotiated through our interactions with others
- How others might describe you; the expectations that go along with that specific identity
what is self-identity
Shaped by our interactions with others
what is a group
set of two or more people with whom you share a sense of belonging, purpose, and identity
what is social interactions
- The way individuals behave and react in the presence of other people - helps us develop a sense of self and undergo the socialization experiences that allows us to live in society
- Erving Goffman (link back to SI!) theorized about social interactions and the self
what is impression management
- The verbal and nonverbal practices we employ to present an acceptable image of our self to others
- During encounters the self is a managed impression that is fabricated with others during an encounter (the setting) based on cultural and individual expectations of interactions in specific social settings
what is key to the ways in which individuals interact with one another
defining the situation beforehand - allows individuals to practice effective impression management
what is the self as a character
The self as a product of interaction; that may be fabricated with others during an encounter
what is the self as a performer
The core of an individual’s personality that lies behind and manages their performances
