Socialization And Social Institutes Flashcards
What is sociology’s focus in socialization?
Sociology focuses on how people learn the basic rules and attitudes of human behavior that are considered acceptable in our society. By learning these practices we will be accepted as full members of society.
Define socialization
Is the life long process through which humans learn the skills and attitudes they need to function in society
What does psychology focus on when it comes to socialization?
It focuses on the development of human personality, and the acquisition of those personal characteristics that make each individual
What do Anthropologists focus on when it comes to socialization?
They see socialization as the means by which permanent human societies are produced. They use the term “sapienization” to describe what, for them, are the most important processes of socialization
What are the agents of socialization?
- family
- school
- peer group
- media
- religion
- workplace
- total institutions
How does family influence socialization?
Family is the first agent of socialization for most children
~learn communication skills
~normal rules of behaviour (the “norms”)
~learn to get along within the family and outside the family
~family aids in the development of personality and self-concept by providing children with feedback
~children may learn about their early personality traits from their family, however, later life experiences may help change the self image created earlier
How does School influence socialization?
schools are usually the first agents to make us learn formal rules and is the first place we are looked after by officials who are not family members. Schools teach two things:
- Manifest function
- Latent Function
What is manifest function?
the academic skills we need to prosper in society.
~these skills are necessary to help us eventually find work and become productive members of society
What is Latent function?
Socialize us to understand and cooperate with strangers
~taught rules about being on time, how to speak in a formal manner, having respect for authority in order to function in our future working roles
~schools often also enforce gender roles
How do peer groups influence socialization?
peer groups provide children/teenagers the opportunity to discuss things that are discouraged by family
Teenagers may feel pressure to engage in rebellious behaviour against their family (i.e. smoking, drinking, etc.)
often peer pressure can contribute to family conflict as a result of different expectations about rules and values.
Conflict can be intense over time. However, although peers may have more influence in the short time, families have more influence over long term goals such as education, work, careers etc.
How does religion influence socialization?
religion activities communicate beliefs about gender roles and appropriate sexual conduct
often reinforces family socialization
teach responsibility for one another in society–in many religious systems the rich are responsible for the poor and we are all responsible for the sick
how does the workplace influence socialization?
it contributes to our socialization by teaching us to learn proper ways of dealing with colleagues, customers and competitors. Often employees would use team-building exercises to instill values needed to act appropriately in the workplace in order to improve production, sales, etc.
how do total institutions influence socialization?
total institutions occur when people in the institution are isolated from the rest of society and manipulated by the administrative staff (prisons, mental institutions).
The goal of total institutions is re-socialization–radically altering residents’ personalities through deliberate manipulation.
characteristics:
~all aspects of daily life and all daily tasks are planned and monitored without input from the residents
~all aspects of life–work,play and sleep are carried out under one roof completely isolated from the outside world
~a privilege system operates in which residents can earn small rewards and preferential treatment by complying with the rules
The goal of these strategies is to erode the residents’ independence and identities by forcing individuals to surrender all personal possessions, wear common uniforms and often similar hair cuts
Residents independence is further eroded by subjecting them to humiliating and degrading procedures such as strip searches, finger printing, serial numbers or codes to replace names
Second part of socialization involves the attempt to build a different personality of self through systematic rewards and punishments
While some residents can be rehabilitated others may become even more hostile and bitter. As well over long periods of time in a strictly controlled environment may cause residents to lose the ability to make independent decisions
What is psychosexual development
Sigmund Freud believed that we are all born with an impulse to seek pleasure and avoid pain. The impulse is referred to as the Id and is only concerned with immediate gratification. sometimes our impulses are in conflict with societal and family expectations. At various stages of life the id and superego battle each other.
If the id wins our personality may develop into the type of person who is selfish and inconsiderate of others, concerned only with his/her own pleasures.
If the superego is dominant our personality veers towards the opposite
A dominant Ego results in a combination of id and superego victories
In Freuds theory personality development depends on how well we deal with toilet and sexual functions. If we deal with them with feelings of acceptance and openness we become happy, confident and successful people, Those who have feelings of guilt and shame towards these functions, become nervous, self-doubting and insecure
What is Jean Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development?
piaget theorized that children come into this world incapable of surviving on their own. They acquire to survive, adapt they must also acquire their learning in a way that makes sense to them.
The human brain in the early years:
They divided these years into four stages: sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete operational and formal-operational.
piaget recognized that our cognitive (ability to think and learn) and social development is orderly and predictable and connected to the physical development of the brain. Socialization and self-emergence proceed in stages as the human brain develops
What is the gender based theory?
the theory concludes that male moral development occurs from a justice perspective. Females on the other hand have a “care responsibility” perspective
Males consider formal rules and abstract principles to be important in defending rights and wrong actions, Females on the other hand judge actions based on how those actions affect personal relationships
What is the purpose of social institutions?
social institutions functions as agents of socialization. It helps people learn their groups or society’s acceptable ways of thinking and behaving. without certain rules and guidelines to follow society would be in chaos.
Whether social institutions be our family, schools, or our legal system, the purpose is to maintain order and stability in society
What are social institutions?
they are all around us in the form of churches, schools, governments, media, family, peer, military and the legal systems. Social institutions play an important role because they shape our beliefs, maintain order, and help society to function efficiently.
Personal institutions like family are personal because they help individuals lives intimately
Impersonal institutions such as government are impersonal because they involve the activities and behaviours affecting large groups of people
What are the characteristics of social institutions?
~have usually existed for a long period of time
~they have entrenched patterns of functioning known as structure. Entrenched patterns are so well established that any change usually occurs slowly and sometimes opposition.
Social institutions have a specific purpose and their members are joined together by shared values and beliefs
EXAMPLE: The legal system fits this definition because it supports and enforces what our society generally agrees should be promoted and obeyed. Its structure is based on the Criminal Code of Canada which outlines all behaviours which are considered to be criminal in our society
What is Lawrence Kohlberg’s moral development theory?
Kohlberg was interested in Piaget’s findings. He concluded that our ability to judge the morality of actions develops through stages of development (we can only learn the difference between right and wrong as our brain develops)
Preconventional stage: young childrens moral reasoning: they decide on their actions solely based on the basis on whether or not it is in their direct personal interest. They only obey rules because they understand they could be punished.
Conventional Stage: Teenage years: individuals give up some of their childish selfishness and acknowledge the needs of others. They recognize that right and wrong need to be more consistent with society’s norms
Postconventional stage: adult years:as adults we move beyond blind acceptance of society’s norms and wonder if they are ethically justified.
Kohlberg suggests that our development occurs in predictable stages as our brains develop.
What is Charles Horton Cooley and George Herbert Mead’s social experience theory?
They theorized that the self did not exist at birth, was not part of the body, and was not controlled by bioological drives.
Self-development was based on how we think others see us: The Looking Glass Theory.Self development was based on the idea that we view ourselves as having characteristics we think others see in us.
They development of the concept of the I-self and Me-self is to explain how we act is different social settings.
Mead and Cooly believed that children’s social experience was vital to their development of the Me-Self. How they are treated and the role games they play are a major factor in personality development.
what is Erik Eriksons Psychosocial development theory?
He theorized that human life is divided into eight chronological stages. in each stage the individual faces many challenges between personal wants and family and societal expectations (similar to Freud’s id–superego conflict)
Whether the self emerges successfully or unsuccessfully depends on the crisis is resolved at each point of conflict
The individual who has successfully resolved all eight conflicts will, in old age, be a complete self who regards life with a sense of pleasure. The individual who has not successfully resolved many of these conflicts is likely to be haunted by a sense of loss of opportunity
What are the issues in Canadian Criminal Justice?
the canadian justice system has a number of provisions in it to protect us from unjust prosecution/arrest/trial: unfair search and seizure, the right to a fair trial, and the right to be tried within a reasonable time period. However there are some concerns about several areas of the system:
~the power of the police
~issues relating to prisons (numbers and cost)
~and rehabilitation vs radical reform
The number of prisons:
The number of prison populations have increased substantially in Canada. As well, so have the costs of keeping people in prison
Costs:
Federal penitentiary:$50 000-$65 000 per year
Half-way House: $3300 per year
Parole supervision: $9000 per year
because of soaring costs these services are becoming more of a priority in canada.
