Culture, Socialization, and Human Development

Socialization and Enculturation Socialization is the process by which we learn and internalize the rules and patterns of behavior that are affected by culture (refers to society). The actual process Enculturation is the process by which youngsters learn and adopt the ways and manners of their culture (refers to culture) Product of the socialization process

Models of Culture and Socialization Psychoanalytic According to Freud and his followers, socialization plays a key role in human development, and specifically in shaping personality and mental health/illness. Culture is all-powerful in shaping biological predisposition. What takes place during socialization is determined largely by culture.

Culture and Developmental Processes Even if Freud’s theories are discounted, much of what he proposed concerning the impact biological factors on development has passed the test of time. That we are born with certain genetically transmitted predispositions is no longer debated. Recall that, according to Freud, we are born with an ID, the biologically based component of the human personality. The other two components, the EGO and the SUPEREGO, are the products of socialization.

Current Perspectives on Genetically base Factors As noted in your text, without getting into specific theories, there is widespread agreement that we are born with different “temperaments”. These biological predispositions interact with socialization to produce individual differences in personality and adjustment. In other words, our styles of interacting with the world that exists from birth.

Temperament Types Difficult Temperament intense, irregular, withdrawing style, negative moods. Easy temperament - very regular, adaptable, mildly intense behavior that is positive and responsive. Slow to warm up -will withdraw initially but will adapt with time.

Baumrind’s Parenting Styles Authoritarian Parents-unquestioned obedience, child must be controlled. Permissive Parents-few guidelines, but warm and nurturing. Authoritative Parents-sensitive to child’s maturity and firm, fair, and reasonable. Uninvolved Parents-indifferent parents who are too involved in their own lives.

Culture and Attachment Attachment-the special bond that develops between the infant and its primary caregiver, provides the child with emotional security. According to Bowlby’s Evolutionary Theory of Attachment, infants must have a pre- programmed, biological basis for becoming attached to their caregivers (survival strategy).

Culture and Attachment (cont.) Ainsworth’s Classification System Secure Ambivalent Avoidant

An Overview of the Enculturation Process Culture  mother  infant Parenting styles Genes  infant  mother  culture Temperament and attachment Parents and children interactive partners in joint creation of cultural meanings

Early Anthropological Models of Culture and Socialization Kardiner (1939) Propose first theoretical model - Not concerned with how culture shapes personality across cultures - Studied the role socialization within a specific culture

Primary and Secondary Institutions Primary Institutions: Socioeconomic framework Child Rearing Practices Basic Personality Structure

Secondary Institutions: Projective Systems (art, religion, rituals, customs)

Whiting and Child (1953) Maintenance Systems Child Training Practices Personality Variables Projective Systems

Levine (1973) Model Socio-cultural environment: Institutional goals Institutional rules and sanctions for role performance Situational norms for reacting to institutional and motivational pressures

Levine (1973) Model (cont.) Personality distributions: Phenotype patterns of response in social situations Genotype dispositions (normally distributed)

Levine (1973) Model (cont.) Hypothesized outcomes of personality-environment interaction: Level of success in attaining institutional goals Consciously experienced satisfaction and frustration Behavior disorders

Triandis (1972) Model Focus is on the way people perceived their social environment A framework for studying psychological functioning Emphasis is on individual abilities, habits and behavioral intentions

Triandis (1972) Model (cont.) Behavioral intentions = cognitive structure associations affected by norms, roles, tasks, and level of affect tied to them Expectations of reinforcement and subjective value Values include such things as need for achievement

Summary comments of cultural learning: Humans have ability of perspective-taking This ability allows humans to engage in cultural learning Cultural learning: learning from others & through others Humans learn by 1) mimicking adults 2) internalizing knowledge of other person through social cognition Culture is uniquely learned by humans