Socialization

Chpt 4

SocializationThe cultural process of learning to

participate in group life . Social behavior is learned—Cultural

transmissionBegins at birth—the most important

learning occurs in early life.

Human Contact and Interaction is a Must

• Without we do not learn basics• Without we cannot develop– Attitudes, – Beliefs, – Values– Individual behaviors

We study through observationEthical questions surrounding

“experiments” with children (can cause irreversible damage).

Experiments with high level animals give us some information.

Harlow’s Monkeys• Rhesus monkeys were used• Deprived of their real mother but given

artificial mothers.• One, wire• One, soft and cuddly• The babies chose the

soft and cuddly• Result: infants need intimacy, warmth and

physical contact• Long-term results showed continued

“damage.”

How we compare…

• (Do we really compare—we assume yes…)

• Human babies who miss the human intimacy, affection and warmth have difficulty forming ties with others.

• These developmental difficulties can be somewhat reversed in institutional cases

• But not much hope in extreme cases…

Case Studies of children deprived of human contact

Anna• Malnutrition• Isolation• Dirty• Could not walk or talk• Died in an institution. • Very little

development seen.

Isabella• Much the same situation

EXCEPT Isabella’s mother had been with her in the isolation

• Found at age 6 ½ • Severe malnutrition,

physical/mental disabilities.• Intense rehabilitation• By age 14, she was in school

with children her own age

The difference: human contact during early development

Sunjit—The Fiji “Chicken Boy”

• “A 32-year-old Fijian known as the "chicken boy" is getting help to learn how to live like a human being.

Sunjit Kumar was tied to a bed in a rest home for 20 years after being found in the middle of the road pecking like a chicken.

( Epileptic. Mentally disabled?)

Kumar's grandfather had locked him up in a chicken coop after his parents died.”…

“For years he had to be tied to the bed, but after working with Elizabeth Clayton for 12 months he is improving. He shows no sign of mental illness, is being toilet trained and is no longer

pecking at his food. Communication is slowly developing too.”Mrs Clayton had been a behavioral scientist then a furniture maker—made lots

of money—husband killed climbing Mt. Everest—then found Sunjit. She has dedicated her life to the recovery (and other kids like him)

“Sujiit-part 1 part 2

EmpathyDefinition: the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or

attitudes of another.

• We take on a role in our life because we might understand what the experience might be like.

• Empathy comes through understanding even though we cannot have possibly experienced situations ourselves.

• Think about how someone feels when they miss a field goal and lose the football game or when you see someone embarrass themselves in public.

• We might not have been in that situation but we have empathy for them.

Reality BreakSo if human interaction and contact is

important, what is the effect of the Internet on a person—on society.

Read: p. 112 your text.Discussion (debate?)

Choose sides.Reflect. Write…

Functionalists and Socialization

• Families and Schools are in large part responsible for a great deal of your socialization.

• How much time is spent with family? With Friends/ school?

The Conflict Perspective and Socialization

• By fitting into society, you accept who you are.

• By questioning the “status quo” (what is), you can “change” who you are.

Theoretical Perspectives

Or….

X

Who am I?Charles Cooley:

Your self-concept is how you see your identity separate from other people.

Young children begin realize they are different

They realize to get attention, they need to act certain

ways.They begin to judge ”what

they need to be” in order to get the attention they

want.

Symbolic Interactionism and Socialization

• Sociologists Charles Cooley and George Mead developed the theory that biology doesn’t completely determine who we are…

• According to them, we are products of our society…

Too S

The Looking-Glass Self

• We determine who we are by reacting to what we think others think of us!!

• How do we look to others?• How will others react to us?• We evaluate ourselves based on our

imagination!

Can this “looking-glass” be “distorted?”

• You betcha

There is no way to know how others are truly perceiving us…

So who helps form who we are?

Significant Others…

Does the identity of Significant Others change?

As babies—who is important?As Teens—As young adults—As mid-agedAs an elderly person—They are the people who “form” us…

Yes, of course. Usually depending on your age.

So think about how this works

• By reacting to how you think others see you, you become more of that…

• Get it?

• How my Mom and Dad see me

• How authorities see me

• How my girl/boy friend sees me

• How my “enemies” (ex-girl friend) see

me

• How my friends see me

Who Are You?I. Write 10 sentences to describe yourself.II. On the papers Ms Ready gives you write 2 words to describe each classmate.

1. I am fun and enjoy many activities.

2. I like music of all types.3. I wish the war was over.4. I love cats.5. I am TEXAN and proud of it.6. I watch sports.7. I love the Texas Rangers.8. I’m a pretty good teacher.9. I drink DrPepper.10. I love to travel and take

pictures.11. The Cowboys and Seniors

make me crazy!

Ms. Ready isShort and sassyCowboys and Rangersetc

Write your sentences on the computer and save them to Kdrive:>Student Common>Ready>Sociology4>Who am I?

Role Taking

• Talking to ourselves—assuming the other person’s point of view to know how to act.

• We learn this at a very early age and continue it throughout life.

Stages to role taking…

• Imitation—children don’t always understand but they imitate what they see (my dad called it monkey see, monkey do…)

• Play Stage—Playing at the roles they see—playing mommie, teacher, astronaut, doctor.

Role models-sport

Game Stage Learning roles by

assuming more active parts. These can be real games

or “the games people play.”

What are some of the “games teenagers

play?”What are they

learning?

When do we become Ourselves

It is ongoing—eventually we integrate—put it all together—

and the generalized other –our

“self” comes into shape

• Each of us has two parts:– Me=the part formed

through socialization (I know I should do my homework but …)

– “I”—the spontaneous part of us that acts. (I bleeping don’t care….)

These two parts of us always interact.

• “I” goes first then “me” takes over (usually)• “Me” is not always in control.

Why did you do that? You knew better!Bleep it. I don’t Care! I don’t know—I won’t

do it again!!I shouldn’t have eaten that last brownie…But I WANTED IT. I have NO self control!! Why did you hide your sister’s book? Because she deserved it!!! The “devil”

made me do it! I and Me

Me and I

Get into 3 groups (1 boy in each group). One person be the real

person, one person be “me”; one person be “I.” You will prepare a 1 minute “skit” with the two parts of

yourself answering the question and you must “decide” what to do.

1. “We’re going to be late anyway, let’s just stay 30 more minutes.”

2. “Can I copy your homework. Ms. Ready won’t notice us.”

3. “Look, I brought this little bottle of ___ from home. Let’s drink a little bit now.”

4. “Isn’t Bob stupid. Let’s go take his backpack.”5. “Well, I’ve dated (your best friend) Jay for a year

but s/he won’t mind if we go out once or twice.”6. “Hey, let’s skip this afternoon. There’s a pep-

rally anyway—no one will notice.”7. “Psst. I’ve got some ____to smoke. Want

some?”8. Someone runs by and hits you hard on the back

and keeps running…

Who socializes us?

The Family– Think and speak– Internalize norms

beliefs and values– Form basic attitudes– Develop a capacity for

relationships– Acquire self image

School• Relationships change• Rewards and

punishments based on performance not affection

• Teachers evaluate based on “objective standards”

• Students learn to rely less on family(and gain allegiance to

something other than family)

Socialization in School

Hidden Curriculum• The “unofficial” aspects of

school• Discipline• Order • Cooperation,• Conformity

• These are characteristics required for success in the working world.

• We are “run by the clock.”• You begin to experience the

“rules” you must learn to live by.

Peer Groups• This group of individuals

are not controlled by parents

• Not always one group• Kids are not always

subordinate—they find their own place

• They begin to experience• Conflict, • Competition• Cooperation• Self-direction• Self expression

More than 61% of all preschool aged kids are in

day care

Children learn to be different than their parents!!!

Positive12345

• Develop the ties they will need in THEIR world….

Negative12345

The Mass Media

• Not every child feels good about themselves…

• Gives children role models to imitate• Duties of people• Behaviors• Relationships

• Also teaches values• Equality• Democracy• Achievement

• Newspapers,____________________________

Violence

• Children will have seen homicides on a regular basis (20,000 by age 16)

Car crashes, beatings, sexual violence, cruelty, etc, etc.

• Not EVERY child is effected.• But

• How do we know who• How do we know when• How do we know how much…

How does it happen

Symbolic interactionism—

socialism is a life long process!

1. Desocialization—the destruction of the old self (think prisons—think military—some schools…)

2. Resocialization—Through reward and punishment, a new self-concept is formed.

3. Anticipatory socialization—figuring out how you will change (now, think PCS moves—think going to college—think planning on your first day at the new job!)

Three step process to a person becoming socialized—think extreme

• Reference groups—the new group around whom a person “builds” their “new” / altered identity.