Download Sociology

Chapter 5: Section 2: The Social Self
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AksQgAawrBA
SOCIALIZATION IS THE INTERACTIVE PROCESS THROUGH WHICH
PEOPLE LEARN THE BASIC SKILLS, VALUES, BELIEFS & BEHAVIOR
PATTERNS OF A SOCIETY. There are 3 theories as to how this occurs…
Theory
Tabula Rasa
Founder
John Locke
Concepts
This theory states that we are born as a clean slate
& develop our personalities as a result of our social
experiences – so – anyone can be molded into any
type of character. Locke believed that people are
born without a personality! This is an extreme
view…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apzXGEbZht0
Looking Glass
Self
Role-Taking
Charles Cooley
Cooley was an interactionist theorist– so he
focused a lot on how people interact with each
other in society. The “Looking Glass Self” (we
develop our self image based on how we imagine
we appear to others) is his central idea. Cooley
believed we reflect the image of ourselves that is
based on other people’s reactions to our behavior.
This is a 3 step process…
STEP 1: Imagine how you appear to others;
STEP 2: based on their reactions, determine if
others view us as we view ourselves.
STEP 3: use our perceptions of how others judge
us to develop feelings about ourselves.
Cooley believed that this process begins early in
life but that it continues throughout life as
individuals constantly redefine their self-images as
their interpretations of how others see them
changes.
Also an interactionist – he believed that we not
only see ourselves as others see us (as Cooley said)
George Herbert BUT we actually take on or pretend to take on the
Mead
role of others - called role-taking.
1. From birth to age 3 we mimic significant
others (parents, siblings, etc)
2. As we grow older, the expectations &
attitudes of society become more important.
(referred to as the generalized other.)
3. *Interaction is key to children being able to
do this. Mead also believed that under age 3
childen lack a sense of self & that at age 3
they begin to act out the roles of specific
people. By school age, they are also
anticipating the expectations of others.
Through role taking Mead believed we
develop our sense of self.
Also – Mead said “self” consists of 2 parts “I” = your unsocialized, spontaneous
personality; and “ME” your socialized self
that’s aware of the expectations & attitudes
of society. In childhood, the “I: is stronger
than the “ME” but through socialization the
“ME” gains power & the 2 work together to
create functioning members of society.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2ptCOhdDCU
Gender roles
Section 3: Agents of Socialization
Agent
The Family
The Peer
Details
Most important agent.
Intended vs Unintended socialization
Every family socializes differently. (race,
ethnicity, religion, etc)
Become more influential the older a person
gets.
Shape themselves into people their peers will
Group
accept.
Conflicts between values, goals, etc of peers
and family/society.
The School
Deliberate socialization – structured
activities, schedules, etc.
Attempt to prepare kids for the outside
world.
Much unintended socialization occurs. Peer
groups, etc
The Mass
Media
Involves no face to face socialization. No
interaction.
Criticisms of the television
- desensitize violence, death
- fear the world
- ethnocentricity (white, middle class)
Positive – information, opens up the world to
the viewer
Resocialization Complete isolation from the rest of society
(prison, boot camp, etc)
Goal is to change personalities and social
behavior.
Reprogram a person’s socialization.
TOTAL INSTITUTION: A setting that isolates people from the
rest of society for a set period of time and are subject to tight
control – so that resocialization may occur (this is the most
extreme form of resocialization). Examples: prisons, military
boot camp, monasteries, psychiatric hospitals (where the
individual was involuntarily committed).