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Chapter 4
Socialization:
Becoming Human
and Humane
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of
SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Introduction
Socialization: the lifelong process of
learning to become a member of the social
world, including learning the values and
beliefs of our culture
Interaction: the basic building block of
socialization, through which a child is
shaped into a human being and becomes a
member of a society
Social self: the perceptions we have of
who we are
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Nature vs. Nurture
The nature vs. nurture debate:
Which best explains the human self and human
behavior—biology or socialization?
The nature argument:
Sociobiology (evolutionary psychology): claims
our genes “wire” us for social behavior
The nurture argument:
Sociobiology is a reductionist theory
Social behaviors vary, are not hard-wired
Socialization is more important than genes
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
The Importance of Socialization
Children need human contact, affection,
and interaction in order to fully develop
Evidence: Cases of isolated children
E.g., Anna, Isabelle, neglected orphans
Because these children were not socialized
at the proper time, they experienced
developmental disorders and could not be
fully integrated into society
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Socialization & the Social World
Most activities are part of the socialization
experience:
Micro-level: e.g., parents, peer groups
Meso-level: e.g., schools, religious groups
Macro-level: e.g., national advertisements
Social importance of socialization
Organizations are dependent upon socialized
people to help them survive
Lack of adequate socialization increases the
likelihood of deviant behavior
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Socialization & the Social World
Perspectives on Socialization
Micro-level:
Symbolic Interactionism: the development of the self
Meso- and Macro-levels:
Structural-functionalist perspective: various socializing
agents support one another and society as a whole
Conflict perspective: various socializing agents have
conflicting goals
• Those in power ensure that others are socialized into
supporting power structures which benefit elites
• Most individuals have little power to decide their futures
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Development of the Self: Micro-Level Analysis
Self: the perceptions we have of who we are,
derived from our perceptions of the way
others respond to us
The development of the self allows us to interact
with others and function in the social world
We are not born with a self; its development
begins in infancy
Biology and society both contribute to the
development of the self
The self, our ability to be aware of ourselves as
individuals, may be distinctive to humans
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
The Looking Glass Self
A symbolic interactionist theory of the self
developed by Charles H. Cooley
The looking glass: “Each to each a looking-glass
Reflects the other that doth pass.”
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Role-Taking
A symbolic interactionist theory of the self
developed by George Herbert Mead
Role-taking allows us to view ourselves from the
standpoint of others, from the outside
Once we can symbolically recognize objects, we
can the view the self as an object
E.g., having a name allows us to see ourselves as
objects separate from other objects
Reflexive behavior: ability to view oneself from
the outside, as an object
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Parts of the Self
Mead’s parts of the Self:
The “I”: spontaneous, unpredictable,
impulsive, acts without considering social
consequences
The “me”: the reflexive part of the self,
formed through role-taking, that knows the
rules of society and attempts to control and
direct the “I” into socially acceptable behavior
The “me” requires the ability to take the role of
others, anticipating others’ reactions
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Stages in the Development of the Self
Mead’s stages of development
Imitation: child observes and imitates others
Play: children play at taking the roles of
significant others, but do not understand
complex relationships
Game: children take the roles of multiple others
concurrently & the role of the generalized other
Generalized other: a composite of social expectations
As behavior comes to be governed by abstract rules,
children can enter into novel social arenas
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
The Self and Connections to the Meso Level
The Iowa School of symbolic interaction:
Our sense of self is rooted in our positions within
social organizations and institutions
We develop a relatively stable core self, or sense
of who we are regardless of immediate setting,
based on our most important social positions
We have a vested interest in the preservation of
the organizations and institutions that contribute
to our social positions and sense of self
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Socialization Throughout the Life Cycle
Socialization occurs
throughout life …
Rites of passage occur at
most stages
Infancy
Childhood
Adolescence
Adulthood
Middle Adulthood
Retirement, the Elderly
Dying and Death
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Rites of passage: public
celebrations or recognitions of
passage from one status to
another
Important because they
impact others’ perceptions,
self-perceptions, and
expectations of the individual
The Process of Resocialization
Resocialization: the process of abandoning one
or more social positions in favor of others that
are more suitable for a newly acquired status
Resocialization may occur in a total institution, in
which people are isolated from the outside world
and lead bureaucratically regimented lives
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Agents of Socialization
Agents of socialization: people, organizations,
and institutions that enable us to learn the
beliefs, values, and behaviors of our cultures
Micro-level: family, peer group, local organizations
Meso-level: educational, religious institutions; media
Formal: socialization is stated goal (e.g., the family)
Informal: socialization isn’t a stated goal but occurs
anyway (e.g., the media)
Agents of socialization shift over the life course
Different agents’ messages may concur or
conflict
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Families: Micro-Level Socialization
Families use positive and negative sanctions to
help teach children right and wrong
The number and type of sanctions shape the
socialization process and the self
Family socialization differs by
Culture
Sub-culture
Number of children in the household and birth order
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Social Class: Meso-Level Socialization
Social class: the wealth, power, and prestige
rankings individuals hold in society
Social class and socialization: Parents
socialize children to meet expectations of the
social class into which they are born
Middle class: autonomy, creativity, self-direction
Working class: rule-following, respect authority
Class socialization in the family impacts later
socialization in school
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Electronic Media: Meso-Level Socialization
Electronic media as socialization agents:
television, computers, internet, DVDs, video
games, audio
Concerns:
Those who control the mass media can influence
socialization within the home
What messages do these agents of socialization
send to children?
What is the impact of children spending more time
with media and less time with caregivers and peers?
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Socialization and Macro-Level Issues
Socialization in a globalized world
Transnationalism: the situation of individuals
or families who have national loyalty to more
than one country, often a result of migration
May result in multiple and conflicting
messages about appropriate behaviors
Global communications and events
May lead us to interact with diverse others,
or solidify feelings of “we” vs. “they”
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.
Policy and Practice
Many policy questions and topics require
understanding of socialization
Parenting and child-care
The education system
Retirement
Community development
Patriotism and global citizenship
Sociologists provide and interpret data for
policymakers and try to solve problems by
working with state agencies, consulting firms,
and foundations
© Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc., 2011.