Socialization and the “Self” (Socialization: Part II) Socialization and the “Self”

Opening Thought We have been talking about social development a lot… But what makes YOU… YOU? Q: What kinds of things impact the development of our “self?”

I. Functionalism & Socialization: A. Functionalism… 1. Emphasizes how social institutions affect us and how we affect them. Example: The media? Our laws? Our families? Our national values?

Functionalism: Agents of Socialization Family – Teaches a child how to think & speak, norms & values School – teaches kids basic skills to survive Peer Groups Sports Workplace Neighborhood Religion Day Care Government Health Care

School teaches 2 curriculums: 1. Educational--math, writing, reading 2 School teaches 2 curriculums: 1. Educational--math, writing, reading 2. Hidden Curriculum - The informal and unofficial aspects of culture that children are taught in school i. Time/Bell ii. Opportunity for “Peer groups”....

Symbolic Interactionism on Socialization Symbolic Interactionism focuses on how the “Self” is developed as a product of socialization “Human nature” is a product of society and not biological

Self-Concept – The Image of yourself having an identity distinctly separate from other people. **There are both long-term and short-term forces working together to form your self-concept. Long: Socialization throughout your lifetime Short: Looking-Glass Self

Is this true?

Looking-Glass Self An Image of yourself based on what you believe others think of you (imagination). Before we take an action we… 1. We imagine how we appear to others 2. Imagine the reaction of others to our appearance 3.We evaluate ourselves according to this imagined perspective of how others will judge us

The Looking Glass Self is… A rapid process Not a conscious process Results in a positive/negative judgement Examples: Cheating on a partner Body Image Intelligence and “being wrong”

How does the LGS work? Significant Others: Those people whose reactions are most important to your self concept For Children = parents For Teenagers = peers For Adults = spouse Role-Taking: Assuming the viewpoint of another person and respond to ourselves from that imagined viewpoint

Video: Watch the following clip from “Easy-A.” How does Olive’s behavior represent the concept of the Looking-Glass Self?

What about the long-term part? Sociologist Herbert Meade mapped out the different “stages of socialization” that occur during a lifetime.

Herbert Mead’s stages of Socialization: 1. Imitation stage (birth-2 yrs old) – Infants absorb social information rapidly 2. Play Stage (3-4 yrs old) – Children can imagine how others want them to behave 3. Game Stage (6 yrs and older) – Children anticipate the actions of others and can gear their behavior towards the norm)

In high school your two most powerful agents of socialization are (usually): Peer Groups – group of individuals of roughly the same age and interests In-groups: A group whose members have strong social ties to one another, high cohesion and loyalty Out group: A group an individual feels no affiliation with or opposition to 2. The Media / Popular Culture – Television, Radio, Internet, Movies, etc.