WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AND SHAPE BEHAVIOUR? SOCIALIZATION

What is Socialization?  Def’n – the life-long process through which humans learn the skills and attitudes they need to function in society.  Humans learn the expectations of society through socialization.  Socialization is different based on race, gender and class.

Consequences of Socialization 1. Establishes self-concepts. (lack of individuality) 2. Creates the capacity for role taking. (i.e good vs. bad) 3. Creates the tendency for people to act in socially acceptable ways. (may create outcasts) 4. Makes people bearers of culture. What is the goal of socialization? *to turn us into conforming members of society. Socialization

Agents of Socialization  Institutions pass on expectations about appropriate social behavior: Family School Peers Media Religion Sports

The Family  Families introduce children to the expectations of society.  How parents define and treat a child is crucial to the development of the child’s sense of self.  Some families emphasize educational achievement; some may be more permissive, whereas others emphasize strict obedience and discipline.

School  School is the first agent to make us deal with formal rules  It is also the first place where we are looked after by officials who are not our family members  Teaches us two things:  Manifest function – teach us the academic skills we need to prosper in society  Latent function (Hidden Curriculum) – to socialize us to understand and co-operate with strangers, gender roles, being on time, being neat, etc.

Peers  For children, peer culture is an important source of identity.  Through interaction with peers, children learn concepts of self, gain social skills, and form values and attitudes.  Girls’ peer groups tend to be closely knit and egalitarian.  Boys’ peer groups tend to be more hierarchical, with evident status distinctions between members.

The Media  The average young person (age 8– 19) spends 6.75 hours per day immersed in media in various forms, often using multiple media forms simultaneously.  Television is the dominant medium, although half of all youth use a computer daily.  Analysts estimate that by age 18, the average child will have witnessed at least 18,000 simulated murders on television.

Polling Question  Which media source do you think has the strongest impact on attitudes and behaviors of your generation? A. Advertising B. Television C. Music and music videos D. The Internet E. Magazines

Religion  Children tend to develop the same religious beliefs as their parents.  Very often those who disavow religion return to their original faith at some point in their life, especially if they have strong ties to their family of origin and after they form families of their own.  Religious socialization also influences beliefs about sexuality, including the likelihood of tolerance for gay and lesbian sexuality.

Sports  Through sports, men and women learn concepts of self.  Men learn that being competitive in sports is considered a part of “manhood.”  Current research finds that women in sports develop a strong sense of bodily competence, which is typically denied to them by the prevailing cultural images of women’s bodies.

Student-Athletes: The Impact of Title IX

Polling Question  Which agent of socialization do you think is the most responsible for gender differences in how males and females are socialized? A. The family B. Religion C. The peer group D. Education E. Mass media

Moments in America for Children  Every 9 seconds a high school student drops out.  Every 20 seconds a child is arrested.  Every 37 seconds a child is born to a mother who is not a high school graduate.  Every 43 seconds a child is born into poverty.  Every minute a child is born to a teen mother.  Every 2 minutes a child is born at low birth weight.

Moments in America for Children  Every 4 minutes a child is born to a mother who received late or no prenatal care.  Every 4 minutes a child is arrested for drug abuse.  Every 8 minutes a child is arrested for a violent  crime.  Every 19 minutes a baby dies.

Moments in America for Children  Every 3 hours a child or youth under 20 is killed by a firearm.  Every 3 hours a child or youth under 20 is a homicide victim.  Every 5 hours a child or youth under 20 commits suicide.  Every day a young person under 25 dies from HIV infection.

Socialization and Self-Esteem  How much value one sees in oneself is greatly affected by socialization how you are seen by society.  A national study of 9th and 12th graders examined the eating behaviors:  57% of the girls and 31% of the boys reported eating disorders.  Fear about one’s appearance to others was is associated with this risky behavior.

Socialization Across the Life Cycle  Childhood - establish identity and values.  Adolescence - form a consistent identity.  Adulthood and Old Age - learn new roles and expectations in adult life.

Resocialization  Existing social roles are altered or replaced.  Takes place in organizations that maintain strict social control.  Examples: military, prison, cults, fraternities and sororities

PART TWO: SOCIALIZATION Theories of Socialization

 Psychoanalytic  Object Relations  Social Learning Theory  Functionalist  Conflict  Jean Piaget  George Herbert Mead

Psychoanalytic Theory of Socialization Individual Learning process Unconscious mind shapes behavior Formation of selfEmerges from tension between id and superego Influence of society Societal expectations are represented by the superego

Object Relations Theory of Socialization Individual Learning process Infants identify with same-sex parent Formation of self Emerges through separating oneself from primary caretaker Influence of societyDivision of labor in the family shapes identity

Social Learning Theory of Socialization Individual Learning process People respond to social stimuli in their environment Formation of self Created through interaction of mental and social worlds Influence of society Young children learn principles that shape the external world

Functionalist Theory of Socialization Individual Learning process People internalize role expectations in society Formation of self Internalizing the values of society reinforces social consensus Influence of society Society relies on conformity to maintain social equilibrium

Conflict Theory of Socialization Individual Learning process Aspirations that are part of identity are shaped by available opportunities Formation of self Group consciousness is formed in the context of a system of inequality Influence of society Social control agents exert pressure to conform

Symbolic Interaction Theory of Socialization Individual Learning process Children learn by taking the role of significant others Formation of self Emerges as the creative self interacts with social expectations of others Influence of society Expectations of others form the context for learning social roles

Piaget: Social Learning Theory

Piaget’s Theory

Charles Horton Cooley Looking Glass Self How we think we appear to others. How we think others judge us. How these make us feel - proud, embarrassed or something else.

Mead: Taking the Role of the Other 1. Imitation stage - children imitate behavior of those around them. 2. Play stage - children take on the role of significant others. 3. Game stage - children internalize an abstract understanding of how society sees them.

QUICK QUIZ

1. According to Piaget, at what stage do children begin to use language and other symbols? a.play stage b.sensorimotor stage c.concrete operational stage d.preoperational stage

Answer: d  According to Piaget, children begin to use language and other symbols at the preoperational stage.

2. According to Mead, at what stage do children become capable of taking on a variety of roles at the same time? a.the preoperational stage b.the imitation stage c.the play stage d.the game stage

Answer: d  According to Mead, children become capable of taking on a variety of roles at the same time at the game stage.

3. Psychoanalytic theory originates in the work of: a. George Herbert Mead b. Sigmund Freud c. Charles Horton Cooley d. Jean Piaget

Answer: b  Psychoanalytic theory originates in the work of Sigmund Freud.

4. The process of resocialization involves: a.learning the values and beliefs of a new school b.relearning existing social roles c.changing or replacing existing social roles d.adjusting to new significant others

Answer: c  The process of resocialization involves changing or replacing existing social roles.

5. Society has no influence on one's identity. a. True b. False

Answer: False  Society does influence one's identity.

6. Socialization is a subtle form of social control. a. True b. False

Answer: True  Socialization is a subtle form of social control.