5 Socialization

8/2/2019 5 Socialization

1/35

The term socialization is used to refer tothe process of learning ones culture and how

to live within it. For the individual it provides the skills and

habits necessary for acting and participatingwithin their society.

For the society, inducting all individualmembers into its moral norms, attitudes,values, motives, social roles, language and

symbols by which social and culturalcontinuit are attained.

Socialization


2/35

According to Ely Chinoy (Chinoy, 1961: 75),socialization serves two major functions:

1. It prepares the individual for the roles heis to play, providing him with the necessaryrepertoire of habits, beliefs, and values, theappropriate patterns of emotional response

and the modes of perception, the requisiteskills and knowledge.

2. By communicating the contents of culturefrom one generation to the other, it provides

for its persistence and continuity.


3/35

Five kinds of socialization may bedistinguished:

Primary socialization

Secondary socialization

Developmental socialization

Anticipatory socialization

Resocialization


4/35

Primary socialization:

Primary socialization is the processwhereby the people make a child learnthe attitudes, values, and actionsappropriate to individuals as members

of a particular culture.


5/35

Secondary socialization:

Secondary socialization refers to the

process of learning what isappropriate behavior as a member ofa smaller group within the largersociety. It is usually associated withteenagers and adults, and involvessmaller changes than those occurringin primary socialization. eg. entering a

new profession, relocating to a new


6/35

Developmental socialization:

It is the process of learning behavior

in a social institution or developingyour social skills.

Anticipatory socialization:

It refers to the processes ofsocialization in which a person"rehearses" for future positions,occupations, and social relationships.


7/35

Resocialization:

Resocialization refers to the processof discarding former behavior patternsand accepting new ones as part of atransition in one's life. This occurs

throughout the human life cycle.


8/35

Agents of socialization1. Family

2. Religion

3. Day-care centers4. Peer group

5. Education

6. Sports

7. Mass media

8. Workplace

9. The State


9/35

Total institutions

The term "total institutions" was coined in1963 by Erving Goffman. (Schaefer &

Lamm, 1992: 113) A society which is socially isolated but still

provides for all the needs of its members.

Total institutions have the ability toresocialize people either voluntarily orinvoluntarily.

Its examples are: prisons, the military,

mental hospitals and convents


10/35

Characteristics of Total

Institutions All aspects of life are conducted in the same

place and under the same single authority. Each phase of a members daily activity is

carried out in the immediate company ofothers. All members are treated alike and allmembers do the same thing together.

Daily activities are tightly scheduled. All

activity is superimposed upon the individualby a system of explicit formal rules. A single rational plan exists to fulfill the goals

of the institution.


11/35

Gender socialization and gender

roles Gender socialization refers to the learning of

behavior and attitudes consideredappropriate for a given sex.

Boys learn to be boys and girls learn to begirls.

This "learning" happens by way of manydifferent agents of socialization.

The family is certainly important inreinforcing gender roles, but so are onesfriends, school, work and the mass media.

Gender roles are reinforced through subtle

and not so subtle ways.


12/35

Goals of Socialization Arnett outlined following three goals of

socialization:

1. impulse control and the development of aconscience

2. role preparation and performance, includingoccupational roles, gender roles, and roles

in institutions such as marriage andparenthood

3. the cultivation of what is important, valued,and to be lived for


13/35

Broad and Narrow

SocializationArnett proposed two interesting types

of socialization:

Broad socialization is intended topromote independence, individualism,and self-expression

Narrow socialization is intended topromote obedience and conformity


14/35

Arnett's definition of socialization:

--the whole process by which anindividual born with behavioralpotentialities of enormously wide range,is led to develop actual behavior which

is confined with a much narrowerrange; the range of what is customaryand acceptable for him according to the

standards of his group.


15/35

The Role of Socialization Feral (wild) children supposedly

abandoned or lost by their parents at a

very early age and then raised byanimals, act like wild animals. Mostsocial scientists believe that they were

raised by their parents as infants butthen abandoned because of mentalretardation.


16/35

Isolated children show what humansmight be like if secluded from society at

an early age. Isabelle is a case in point. Although

initially believed to be retarded, asurprising thing happened when shewas given intensive language training.She began to acquire language and inonly two years she had reached the

normal intellectual level for her age.


17/35

Institutionalized children show thattraits such as intelligence, cooperative

behavior, and friendliness are the resultof early close relations with otherhumans.

Research with children raised inorphanages and cases like Genie, the13 year old who had been kept lockedin a small room for years; demonstrate

the importance of early interaction for


18/35

The Social Development of Self,Mind, and Emotions

Charles H. Cooley concluded that humandevelopment is socially createdthat oursense of self develops from interaction with

others. He coined the term looking glass self to

describe this process. According to Cooley, this process contains

three steps: a) we imagine how we look to others; b) we interpret others reactions (how they

evaluate us); and

c) we develop a self-concept.


19/35

George H. Meads concepts

George H. Mead added that play is criticalto the development of a self.

In play, we learn to take the role of others: To understand and anticipate how others feel

and think.

Mead concluded that children are first able totake only the role of significant others(parents or siblings, for example);


20/35

As the self develops, children internalizethe expectations of other people, and

eventually the entire group. Mead referred to the norms, values,

attitudes and expectations of peoplein

generalas thegeneralized other.


21/35

According to Mead, the development of theself goes through stages:

a) imitation (children initially can only mimicthe gestures and words of others);

b) play (beginning at age three, children playthe roles of specific people, such as asoldier); and

c) games (in the first years of school, childrenbecome involved in organized team games

and must learn the role of each member of


22/35

Jean Piagets concepts

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) concluded thatthere are four stages in the development of

cognitive skills:1. The sensorimotor stage (0-2):

Understanding is limited to direct contactwith the environment (touching, listening,

seeing)

2. The preoperational stage (2-7):Children develop the ability to use symbols

(especially language) which allow them toex erience thin s without direct contact.


23/35

3. The concrete operational stage (7-12): Reasoning abilities become much

more developed. Children now canunderstand numbers, causation, andspeed, but have difficulty with abstractconcepts such as truth.

4. The formal operational stage (12+):Children become capable of abstractthinking, and can use rules to solveabstract problems, e.g.if X is true, whydoesnt Y follow?


24/35

Freuds Concepts

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) believed thatpersonality consists of three elements: the id,ego, and superego.

The id, inherited drives for self-gratification,demands fulfillment of basic needs such asattention, safety, food etc.

The ego balances between the needs of the

id and the demands of society. The superego, the social conscience we

have internalized from social groups, gives usfeelings of guilt or shame when we breakrules, and feelings of pride and selfsatisfaction when we follow them.


25/35

Human Emotions

Human emotions also develop in an orderlysequence:

During the first months, infants registersurprise, joy, distress, and excitement; theseare emotional reflexes because they aremade without any prior learning.

Fear and anger appear between ages 4 and10 months.

During the second year, other emotions

appear, including sadness, anxiety, and


26/35

By age four, guilt and shame areadded;

by age five, a child displays pride,humility, envy and jealousy; and

by age six or seven, emotions relating

to comparing oneself to others appear.

By puberty, children can express theentire range of emotions.


27/35

Emotions are not simply the result of biology; theyalso depend on socialization within a particularsociety.

Europeans may shake hands with each other toexpress pleasure in meeting someone, whileJapanese may bow, and Arabs may kiss.

When a football player scores a goal, the response isquite physical: jumping up and down, and shouting.When a speaker delivers good speech, the responseis quite subdued, may be in the form of clapping.

Society has trained us to give different reactions indifferent settings.


28/35

Socialization into Gender

By expecting different behaviors from peoplebecause they are male or female, society

nudges boys and girls in separate directionsfrom an early age, and this foundation carriesover into adulthood.

Parents begin the process; researchers have

concluded that in our society mothersunconsciously reward their female childrenfor being passive and dependent and theirmale children for being active andindependent.


29/35

The mass media reinforce societysexpectations of gender in many ways:

Ads perpetuate stereotypes byportraying males as dominant andrugged and females as attractive andsubmissive.

On TV, females are shown as passive,indecisive, and dominated by men. Incommercials, womens voices are rarely

used as the voice over.


30/35

Music perpetuates sex rolesstereotypes; songs tell girls to be

dependent and submissive, and boys todominate male-female relationship.

In films, often there is a portrayal of

violence against female. Males/females use media images to

discover who they were and what was

expected of them as males/females.

S i li ti th h th lif


31/35

Socialization through the lifecourse: Childhood (Birth to 12):

In earlier times, children were consideredminiature adults, who served anapprenticeship in which they learned andperformed tasks. To keep them in line, theywere beaten and subjected to psychologicaltorture.

The current view is that children are tenderand innocent, and parents should guide thephysical, emotional, and social developmentof their children, while providing them withcare, comfort, and protection.


32/35

Adolescence (13-17):

Economic changes resulting from theindustrial revolution brought about materialsurpluses that allowed millions of teenagersto remain outside the labor force, while at thesame time the demand for educationincreased.

Biologically equipped for both work andmarriage but denied both, adolescents sufferinner turmoil and develop their ownstandards of clothing, hairstyles, language,music, and other claims to separate identities.


33/35

Young Adulthood (18-29):

Adult responsibilities are postponedthrough extended education. During

this period the self becomes morestable, and the period usually is one ofhigh optimism.


34/35

The Middle years (30-65):

People are surer of themselves and theirgoals in life than before. For modern women,it can be a trying period due to trying to

have it alljob, family, and everything.

Later middle years results in a different viewof lifetrying to evaluate the past and tocome to terms with what lies ahead.Individuals may feel they are not likely to getmuch farther in life, while health andmortality become concerns. However formost people it is the most comfortable period

in their lives.


35/35

Older years (66 andbeyond):

While we live longer and there has been animprovement in general health, older peopleare not given the respect they previouslyreceived, having undergone socialdevaluation.

They often are viewed as people who onceknew something worthwhile, but now canonly offer useless advice.

They become more concerned with deaththat their time is closing in on them.

5 Socialization

Documents

Transcript of 5 Socialization