Theoretical Perspectives & Culture Unit TwoLesson Five Teacher’s Edition

Today’s Main Idea The theoretical perspectives provide us with a unique way to look at culture. They each provide a unique way to view culture and socialization.

Functionalist Perspective: Remember that the functionalist perspective strives to explain how groups work together to create a stable society Through socialization children learn the values and norms necessary for survival – We call these values and norms culture

Conflict Perspective: Remember that conflict perspective believes that socialization keeps the norms in society stable People are socialized at such a young age they know no different – Differences in socialization can cause conflict Your agents of socialization can be sources of conflict

Symbolic Interactionism: They stress the belief that human nature is created by society – Specifically that society exist because of mutually understood principles They are four main concepts in Symbolic Interactionism: – Self Concepts – The Looking-glass Self – Role Taking – The Generalized Other

The Self Concept: Self Concept – Children begin to understand that they have their own identity Each of these children have their own identity. How does this affect their interactions?

Looking-glass Self: The image of yourself you have based on what you believe others think of you How does this affect young women?

There are three stages involved in the Looking-glass Self: 1.We imagine how we appear to others 2.Next we imagine how others react to our imagined appearance (how we we perceive ourselves) 3.We evaluate ourselves, this is based on what we imagine others see

Significant Others: The most important person (the mirror) in the looking glass is a significant other Think of how important it is what your best friend, parent or loved one’s perception of you is?

Role Taking: Generalized Other - an integrated concept of norms, values and beliefs of ones community You do not steal because it makes your Mom happy. You do not steal because you know it is wrong

Distortions: Since the looking glass comes from our imagination it can be distorted We use all of these individuals to help shape our self image

So what does this have to do with culture and socialization? Socialization is the process in which culture is learned The looking glass self allows us to see our role in culture Culture is what allows us to participate in society

Activity: Work with a partner and create a word document. Pick a celebrity and explain how the following affect them: – The three sociological perspectives (functionalist theory, symbolic interactionism, conflict theory) – The looking glass self – Significant Others – Generalized Others