Transcript Socialization

Socialization
Chapter 4
Socialization
Socialization is the cultural process of
learning to participate in group life.
We have to learn how to think, feel,
and behave in our society.
Socialization begins at birth and
continues throughout your life.
Harry Harlow
Harry Harlow did an experiment with a
monkey dealing with isolation and lack
of socialization.
Harlow observed infant monkeys and
gave them a choice between a wire
monkey and a wire monkey covered
with cloth. These monkeys consistently
chose the cloth monkey even when the
wire monkey provided food. They also ran
to the cloth monkey when scared.
Bellwork-Explain these pictures
Results
This showed that infant monkeys
needed intimacy, warmth, physical
contact and comfort.
According to experts the same can be
assumed of human infants. Intimacy
and physical contact are as
important as food and water.
Wild children
Turn to page 113 and read the two
stories of Anna and Isabelle.
Symbol interaction
Charles Cooley and George Mead
came up with a belief that human
nature is shaped by society rather
than by our genetics. This belief was
called the symbolic interactionist
perspective.
Cooley
Cooley observed his children and came
up with the idea that we learn or gain
an image of ourselves as being
different from other people. This is
called self-concept.
Looking glass self
Looking-glass-self is when our
self-concept is based on what we
believe others' think of us. Our
image of ourselves is based on what
we imagine people think of us.
The looking glass may be
distorted. How someone sees or
views us may be totally different
than what we think. Someone may
like you when it seems they don't
have any interest in you at all.
George Mead
George Mead came up with the idea
that some people are more important
to us than others. These people
whose judgments are more important
to our self-concept are called
significant others.
Ex: mother, father, brothers, sisters,
wife/husband, boyfriend/girlfriend,
friends, employers, etc.
Role taking
Role taking allows us to take the viewpoint
of another person and then respond to
ourselves from that different viewpoint.
Ex: asking your boss for a raise. You may
anticipate your boss saying no or giving
arguments against the raise so you
prepare justification for your raise.
Another simple example is baseball. When
a ground ball is hit to the short stop the first
baseman knows he should cover first
because that's where the short stop is
going to throw the ball.
Development of Role taking
Imitation stage-Age
1and 1/2 to 2
Children imitate
behavior without
understanding why
Play stage
Age 3-4
Play involving acting
and thinking how
another person would
Game stage
Children consider the
roles of several people
simultaneously
The I and Me
Mead also came up with the "I" and the
"Me." The "me" is predictable and shaped
by socialization where the "I" is
spontaneous and unpredictable. The "I"
constantly interacts with the "me" when
conducting our selves in social situations.
For example, if we are hungry and our
friend has a candy bar, the "me" thinks of
the consequences of taking it. Therefore
the "I" usually takes the "me" into
consideration before making a decision;
but not always.
Hidden curriculum
Family is the first exposure we ever have
to socialization.
Eventually school will be an important
factor in a child's socialization.
Schools have what’s called a hidden
curriculum. This is the informal and
unofficial aspects of culture that children
are taught. These include cooperation,
order, discipline, etc.
Peer groups
Peer groups are a major contributor to
a person's socialization. Peer groups
are composed of people of roughly
the same age and interests.
Mass media
Mass media plays a
major role in
socialization as well.
Ex. Have you ever
been in a maximum
security prison? Have
you ever been in a
court room in front of a
jury? Mass media
includes television,
internet, books, etc.
Socialization factors
There are 4 main factors that
contribute to our socialization; family,
peer groups, school, and mass media
Desocialization
Desocialization
Total institutions involve loss of identity and
separation from the rest of society. Examples are
cults, prison, boot camp, rehab, etc.
- In total institutions desocialization occurs. This is
where people give up old norms, values, attitudes,
and behaviors. This usually involves being
stripped of personal belongings, individualism, and
personal identity.
Resocialization
After desocialization occurs,
resocialization will happen. This is
when people adopt new norms,
behaviors, values, and attitudes.
Anticipatory socialization
Anticipatory socialization is voluntary
changing of norms, beliefs, values, etc.
For example, a high school graduate may
voluntarily change these aspects of
socialization to keep up with their peer
group.
College students would then become their
new reference group or group they use to
evaluate themselves and from which they
acquire values, attitudes, etc.