 Socialization is the process through which people learn the expectations of a society  Basic intent of Socialization is to pass on culture from one generation to the next  Agents of Socialization are those who pass on social expectations SOCIALIZATION

–The lifelong social experience by which individuals develop their human potential and learn patterns of their culture –PERSONALITY –A person’s fairly consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting –COULD A PERSON’S PERSONALITY DEVELOP WITHOUT SOCIAL INTERACTION?

What are we born with? Clean slate Noble savage

The following may be innate: Importance of family Ethnocentrism Variation in intelligence Ideas of purity, beauty, and rank Language Drive for dominance Sharing Abilities –physics –biology –numbers sense –logic –psychology

How do we know what we know? Studies of isolated children Studies of institutionalized children Animal studies –Harlow monkey studies Twin studies

Are we prisoners of our socialization?

Self Nature vs. Nurture Society makes us human Ability to see ourselves from the outside Our picture of how others see us Environment affects socialization Continual Process throughout life

Charles Horton Cooley Looking Glass Self Social mirror Socially created self 1.Imagine how we appear to others 2.Interpret others’ reactions to us 3.Develop a self-concept

George Herbert Mead Play is critical to development of self Learn to take the role of other Three stages –Imitation –Play –Games Roles begin as superficial Become internalized Generalized Other

The “other” Significant Other individual who significantly influences another Generalized Other norms, values, attitudes and expectations of people “in general”

“I”-represents the spontaneous, unique, and natural traits of the self. “Me”-represents the social part of the self, the internalized demands of society and the individual’s awareness of these demands. I / Me

Mead’s Concept of Self= 2 Parts The “me” -part of self created through socialization -predictability and conformity come from the “me” The “I” -part of self that is spontaneous, unpredictable, & creative -acts in extreme situations of rage to excitement but also … “I” and “Me” constantly interact in social situations …

Who’s in charge? The first reaction comes from the “I” BUT before we act, the response is channeled through the socialized “me” Typically, the “I” takes the “Me” into account (thinks about consequences) BUT, humans are NOT always predictable Therefore, the “me” is NOT always in charge!

Jean Piaget Development of reason Problem-solving –Sensorimotor (birth-2) –Preoperational (2-7) –Concrete operations (7-12) –Formal operations (12 +)

Sigmund Freud Humans are savage and society tames our wildness Id Ego Superego

Lawrence Kohlberg Development of Morality Preconventional: follow rules to stay out of trouble (7-10) Conventional: follow norms and values (age 10) Postconventional: abstract principles Carol Gilligan questioned whether results would be the same for girls

Gender Socialization BoysGirls Family Peers Media

Agents of Socialization Family School Peer group Sports Teams Mass media Workplace Religion

Melvin Kohn Social Class affects socialization Working Class Conformity Obedience Middle Class Curiosity Self-expression Initiative

Socialization Through the Life Span Childhood Adolescence Young adulthood Middle age Older years

Resocialization Anticipatory socialization Total Institutions –Total control –Isolation –Degradation ceremony Development of Self