Chapter 4

The Importance of Socialization

Section 1 – Socialization and Personality

Socialization is the cultural process of learning to participate in group life. 

            All aspects of social life are not natural but learned through socialization.

            It begins at birth and continues through life.

Harry Harlow and Rhesus monkeys

            Showed the negative effects of social isolation.

            Monkeys were deprived of mother – exposed to either terry cloth model or wire model – went to soft “mother” for comfort even over food.

            Showed that infant monkeys need intimacy, warmth, physical contact and comfort.

            Monkeys raised in isolation became upset, were apathetic and withdrawn, were hostile – as mothers they often rejected their own children.

            Case evidence with humans who were neglected shows that neglected babies have difficulty forming emotional ties with others. (Anna, Isabelle, Genie)

Internet, video game, personal stereos (ipods, etc), and cell phones – do these devices impair the development of social skills in children and adolescents?

Section 2 – Socialization and the Self

Functionalist perspective on socialization – groups work together to socialize children. They teach the same norms, beliefs and values in order to keep society from fragmenting.

Conflict perspective on socialization – socialization perpetuates the status quo. People learn to accept their social status from birth.  They will not challenge the class structure due to their socialization.

Symbolic interactionism perspective –human nature is a product of society.

            Self-concept – having an identity separate from other people.

            Looking-glass self – people judge themselves by imaging how others will react to them.

            1. We imagine how we appear to others

            2. We imagine the reactions of others to our (imagined) appearance.

            3. We evaluate ourselves according to how we imagine others have judged us.

            Distortion in the looking glass – our judgment may be incorrect but our conclusion can still damage sense of self (or over-exaggerate it!).

            Significant others – those whose judgments we consider to be most important.  We use these people as looking glasses more than others.

            Role taking – allows us to see ourselves through the eyes of someone else.  We can anticipate what others will say or do and react accordingly.

            George Mead’s three stages of role taking:

1.      Imitation stage – children begin to imitate behaviors without understanding why 1 ½ to 2 yrs old.

2.      Play stage – children act in ways they imagine other people would (teacher, policeman) 3-4 yrs old.

3.      Game stage – children anticipate the actions of others based on social rules. 5 yrs and up.

            Generalized other – an integrated conception of the norms, values, and beliefs of society.  It is wrong in principle to be dishonest or to cheat.

            I vs. Me – the first reaction of the self comes from the “I”, what we want to do; the second reaction looks at the reaction of others to the “me”, how others will react to my actions.  When people act unpredictably the I is in control.

Section 3 – Agents of Socialization

The Family and socialization – a child does not select who socializes him or her.  The family teaches a child how to:

            Think and speak

            Learn norms, beliefs and values

            Acquire a self-image

The family’s social class shapes what we think of ourselves and how others treat us.

Socialization in schools – a child develops impersonal relationships for the first time

            Rewards and punishments are based on performance rather than affection

            Feelings of loyalty to something beyond the family are created.

Hidden Curriculum – aspects of culture taught to students so they can succeed in life.  Students are taught to value discipline, order, cooperation, and conformity – things that are necessary to succeed at work.  (Compare to the past – rote learning v. group work).  (Private schools v. public school).

Time may be more important than what is learned – bells tell us when to move on, not whether or not something was learned.

School separates students from the adult world – therefore students depend on each other for their social life.

Peer group socialization – the only agency of socialization that is not controlled primarily by adults.  Students can make decisions without being subordinate to adults.  Norms of peer groups often conflict with those of adults.  Students also develop close relationships with others including members of the opposite sex.

By middle school students spend more time with their peers than they do with adults.

Mass media and socialization—the media displays role models for children to imitate.  The images presented are often distorted.

            Positives: children are taught values of the society – they see achievement and success, the work world, equality and democracy.

            Negatives: children witness far more violence on television (20,000 homicides witnessed by age 16).  Watching aggressive behavior increases aggression.

Section 4 Processes of Socialization.

Desocialization – the process by which people give up old norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors.

            Replace personal possessions with the same items everyone else has

            Using serial or other numbers to identify them   

                        Where does this happen (mental hospitals, cults, military life, sports teams?)

Resocialization – people adopt new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors.

            Individuals are rewarded for taking on the new identity.  Punishments such as isolation or physical punishment are provided for non-conformists.

Anticipatory Socialization – a voluntary preparation for the acceptance of new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors.  (Teenagers wanting to fit in in high school, or college.)

Reference group –the group that is used to evaluate self and where new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors are acquired.