Download Socialisation - NC Sociology

G671 Sociology
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Explain what is meant by ‘socialisation’
Identify six agents of socialisation
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Socialisation is the process of learning our
culture.
Through this, it is also the process by which
we are raised to be functioning members of
our society...
...And as a result of this process, our
identities (of which we may each have more
than one) are created and reinforced.
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Feral children demonstrate that we cannot
socialise ourselves (into human
societies/cultures). We require external
influences to socialise us.
DISCUSS:
What external influences shape a
human being?
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Family
(‘Primary Socialisation’)
Mass Media
Religion
Education
Peer Group
Workplace
(‘Secondary Socialisation’)
LO: Identify and explain ways
in which children are
socialised within the family.
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What is a ‘family’?
What is the purpose of a family?
On your mini-whiteboards, identify at least
three different types of family present in the
contemporary UK?
How might the following have an effect on
relationships in the family?
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Work/life balance of parents
Number/age/gender of siblings
Increasing life expectancy
Geographical issues (e.g. Where family live /
Distance family members live from one
another)
Socialisation by the family is the foundation
of all civilised behaviour. We learn:
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Language
Body control (e.g. Toilet training)
Emotional control (e.g. “don’t hit your sister”)
Rules of public conduct (e.g. “don’t throw
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Moral values (e.g. “lying is wrong”)
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your food”)
Discuss: How do we learn these things?
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Role-Modelling (inc. Instilling basic norms and
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Imitation (e.g. table manners)
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Positive and negative sanctions (e.g. Punishments
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Gender roles (e.g. gender roles within the family)
values)
and rewards)
Ensure you can clearly define each of the above.
Quality
Example 1
To use a toilet
Potty training; rewards Imitation of adult use
to reinforce positive
achievement
To eat a balanced diet
To show thanks
To believe in free
speech
To be a vegetarian
Example 2
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Traditionally, the parental role has been to
care for and stimulate their children.
Nowadays, many parents see their role as
protecting their children from danger
(accidents, paedophiles, terrorism etc)
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Furedi believes parents have become
paranoid; that the risk to children is
exaggerated and the focus on protection
unhealthy (e.g. The parents of Daniele Duval,
who fitted her with a microchip so they could
track her if she was ever kidnapped).
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Write a paragraph explaining how the process
of socialisation works in a family. Include the
following concepts:
Gender
Sanctions
Imitation
Role-modelling
LOs:
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Identify and explain two ways in
which the media socialises people.
2.
Describe three models of media
effects.
What do we mean by the term ‘mass media’?
What different areas of the mass media are
there?
Calculate: How much of your day is spent
engaging with the mass media?
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The dominant agent of socialisation for
young people in the UK.
The mass media is predominantly used for
entertainment, communication and for
accessing information.
The mass media is largely responsible for
creating popular culture, subcultures,
consumer culture and for globalisation.
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Representation of social groups
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Hypodermic Syringe Model
Media images inject directly into the brain
having an immediate effect on behaviour.
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Cultural Effects Model
Constant repetition of media images having a
gradual effect on attitudes and behaviour.
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Uses & Gratifications Model
Individuals seek out specific media content to
fulfil specific needs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZkC_fNxm
Qk
Discuss (small groups):
Could you live a month without all of the
following?:
Mobile Phone
Video Games
Internet
Films
Television
Newspapers
Music
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Research Online and find an example of a
case in which the media has been accused of
influencing behaviour (positively/negatively).
On your blog/as a written report, link to the
case you’ve found and write a very brief (500
Word) summary of your views on it, referring
to some of the concepts we’ve studied.
Due: Next Lesson
Identify and briefly explain at
least two ways in which
religion socialises people.
In pairs, list a minimum of TEN religions
present in the contemporary UK.
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It provides written moral codes that reinforce
the values of our society e.g.
Thou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not commut adultery
Thou shalt not steal
(from The Ten Commandments)
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This means betraying society is also
betraying a God/Gods.
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It provides authority figures who can act as
role models.
The way it treats people by gender, sexuality
etc. can impact society’s views on these
issues.
It has strong links to ethnicity. Many people
consider their religion to be a central part of
their ethnic identity.
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Many sociologists believe that religion is
losing influence in the UK (‘secularisation’)...
...Others believe it is still important but is
becoming more privatised.
Early religious socialisation usually comes
through the family, as part of primary
socialisation.
For many people in the UK then, religion may
not be as influential an agent as it once was.
LOs: 1. Differentiate between the
formal and informal curricula.
2. Identify and briefly explain two
ways in which the school system
socialises people.
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In pairs, list as many different types of
schools found in the contemporary UK as you
can.
Ext:- What other institutions/areas of society
are involved in educating people?
In school, we are socialised through two different
social learning processes:
The Formal Curriculum (e.g. the subjects we study)
The Informal Curriculum a.k.a. The ‘Hidden’
Curriculum (e.g. The rules and regulations of
school life)
What sorts of things might be part of the ‘informal
curriculum’?
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Punctuality
Attendance
Expectations
Where to go during breaks/lunch (and where
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How far boundaries can be pushed (e.g.
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Valuing success
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not to go!)
School uniform policy)
Etc.
In small groups:
Design a ‘perfect’ formal curriculum for
socialising young people. Consider the
following:
Which subjects should be mandatory?
Which subjects should be optional/scrapped?
 What new subjects could be added?
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What we learn in our subject choices should
help us learn the culture of our society.
 The values and behaviours we learn at school
should equip us for functioning in the wider
world e.g.
1. If you don’t learn to turn up on time for
lessons, you won’t last long in a job.
2. If you don’t appreciate the value of
education for yourself, you won’t succeed
and won’t pass this value on...therefore it
may become lost from our culture.
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LOs:
1.
2.
Identify and explain two ways in which
peer groups socialise people.
Define the concept ‘cultural comfort
zone’.
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A peer group is a group of people who share
a similar social status (and are usually of a
similar age group).
Early peer interaction is usually monitored by
parents, so just reinforces socialisation by the
family.
From the age of 5-18, peer groups become
particularly influential as agents of
socialisation and can
challenge the role of
the family.
Discuss:
 In what ways have you been influenced by
your peers throughout your life?
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Is it possible to not be at all influenced by
peers? Is that a good or bad thing?
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Subcultures
Develop around shared views, beliefs, tastes,
styles etc.
Resistance/rebel groups
Develop in opposition to the ‘norm’
These two are often interchangeable
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Peer Pressure
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Bullying
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Hierarchies/significant figures
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Sense of belonging
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Used the concept cultural comfort
zones to describe how peer groups
form around shared identities: We seek out
people who we perceive as ‘like us’.
Sewell focused on ethnicity e.g. Noting how
kids of the same ethnic origin ‘hang around’
with each other outside of class...
...But the term can equally be applied to
factors like social class.
LOs: Identify and briefly
explain two ways in which the
workplace socialises people.
How do the following jobs influence the lives
of those doing them:
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The workplace resocialises people; it teaches
us new codes of behaviour. We undergo a
process of resocialisation every time we
change our job.
The influence of the workplace touches
(nearly) everyone at some point in their lives.
The nature of work is changing; 9-5 is no
longer the norm in the contemporary UK.
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Resocialisation
Training programmes
Written and unwritten rules
Dress codes/uniforms
Imitation, role-modelling and peer-pressure.
Agent
Family
Media
Peer Group
Education
Religion
Workplace
1st Way
2nd Way
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Resocialisation
Cultural Comfort Zone
Hidden Curriculum
Secularisation
Hypodermic Syringe Model
Positive & Negative Sanctions
Write a short (500-1000 word) blog or essay
on the following, incorporating concepts from
your learning so far:
The most influential agent of socialisation in
my life so far has been…
Due: This time next week