Unit 11: Culture and Socialization Flashcards
Social System
All systems where humans (or groups of humans) are the primary components. Made up of Actors (Agents) and relationships (interdependencies) between them.
Social System examples (6)
A bakery, the global financial system, a family, Canada (as a country), social status, a class
Ideal Types
Exaggerations of certain characteristics of people that is not meant to represent real people, but ‘extremes.’
Homo Economicus’ preferences
Selfish, since Homo Economicus is the part of each of us that considers our self-interest when making decisions to maximize satisfaction.
Economist’s view of preferences
Preferences are fixed and unexplainable. The standard theory of neoclassical economics assumes that preferences come from somewhere and that they are irrelevant to models.
Rationality Limits
Humans lack information and have limited processing (thinking) capacity so we use heuristics (trial and error). We are bounded in rationality.
Importance of bounded rationality (2)
- Humans are not autonomous, all knowing, independent creatures
- Group ‘forces’ are at work in our global system beyond the simple rational processes of economic exchange and rational institution development.
Homo Sociologicus
A person that is not always perfectly rational because they are affected by society; they strive to fulfill their role in society but are also influenced by societal forces.
Examples of heuristics (6)
Satisficing, habits, learning, emulation, imitation, following others
Culture
The sum of attitudes, beliefs, and preferences (including norms) that distinguishes one group of people from another.
Examples of culture (3)
Fandoms, clubs, political parties
Individual beliefs
What we believe to be true. Rooted in culture and other knowledge systems.
Examples of individual beliefs (2)
Religion, science
Individual Attitude
Set of emotions, beliefs, and behaviors toward a particular topic (object, person, thing, or event). Broad term capturing an individual’s thoughts on an issue.
Examples of Individual Attitude (3)
Environmentalist, pacifist, belligerent, etc…
Individual preferences
A ranking system of individual preference for different outcomes.
Example of individual preferences (2)
Personal norms, favorite food, animal, etc…
Group Norms
Norms that define what we should believe, prefer, and behave in groups (families, peer groups, organizations, societies, etc.) Failure to adhere to these norms is Deviance, which is usually punished by the group.
Socialization
The process of learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society through culture. Exists at many scales and takes place through many processes.
Examples of socialization (3)
Emulation, persuasion, formal processes
Scales of socialization (5)
Household/family, Community, Ethnic Group, Religious Group, Country, etc…
Emulation
Copying others through imitation.
Formalized processes
Arrangement of processes according to a fixed structure.
Persuasion
Process aimed at changing a person’s (or a group’s) attitude or behavior toward a topic by using written or spoken words to convey information, feelings, and/or reasoning. A form of social influence, intentional ‘socialization’.
Persuasion vs. incentive
Persuasion is the process in which incentive is used to encourage change.
Punishment
Consequence of deviation from a societal norm, incentive for individuals to stop or change their behavior.
Examples of punishment (5)
Social exclusion, loss of social status, ‘challenging’ comments, physical punishment, being yelled at, etc…
Reward
Benefit of following a societal norm, incentives for individuals to continue or repeat their behavior.
Examples of reward (4)
Popularity, friendly responses, respect of others, thank you cards, etc…
Norm Enforcement
Norms are self-monitored, once they are adopted, we hold ourselves accountable to behave inline. If we fail to do so we will often feel shame, we self-punish. Similarly, once you adopt a norm, you tend to monitor others and punish/reward them based upon their behavior.
Self sustaining norms
Self-propagation of norms due to enforcement and promotion. Norms may evolve over time and may be made extinct as generations die off.
