CHAPTER 5, SECTION 2 The Social Self

Socialization At birth we are incapable of talking, walking and feeding and protecting ourselves. We transform and learn through interaction with social and cultural environments. Socialization allows you to develop a sense of self.

Locke: Tabula Rasa Tabula rasa= clean slate English philosopher (1600s) Humans start out as ‘clean slates’ and our social experiences shape who we become.  Thus, you can ‘mold’ an individual into the type of person you want them to become.  Later echoed by John Watson Many people see Locke’s views as extreme today.

Cooley: Looking-glass Self One of the founders of the interactionist perspective. Looking-glass self= interactive process by which we develop an image of ourselves based on how we imagine we appear to others.  Others are a ‘mirror’ that reflect an image back at us. Three step process: 1) Imagine how you appear to others. 2) Determine whether others’ view matches how we view ourselves. 3) Use these perceptions to develop feelings about ourselves.

Cooley (cont’d) Newborns have no sense of person or place. Once interactions take place, the newborn starts to have ‘images’ reflected back at it.  This is how the newborn develops a sense of self. Responsibility on primary group members. Process starts early, but continues on throughout life as we meet new people and our perceptions of their perceptions change.

Mead: Role-Taking Followed on Cooley’s idea of seeing ourselves how others see us. Mead believed that we take on the roles others expect of us. We anticipate how others view us. We internalize the expectations of those closest to us, or significant others. As we grow older, society’s expectations and attitudes become more prominent in guiding our behavior. The attitudes, expectations, etc. of society are known as the generalized other.

Mead (cont’d) Three step process: imitation, play and games. Children lack a sense of self when they are younger than 3. ‘Self’ consists of two parts– the ‘I’ and the ‘me’.  ‘I’ is un-socialized, spontaneous, self-interested component.  ‘me’ is aware of the expectations and attitudes of society. This is the part of us that is socialized. The ‘me’ portion of an individual grows over time.

CHAPTER 5, SECTION 3 Agents of Socialization

The three theorists provide explanations on the socialization process. Specific forces and situations that shape socialization are known as agents of socialization.  These agents are specific individuals, groups or institutions that enable socialization to take place. Primary agents of socialization: 1) Family 2) Peer group– similar age and social characteristics. 3) School 4) Mass media– forms of communication that reach a large audience.

Resocialization Total institution= setting in which people are isolated from the rest of society for a set period of time and subject to tight control.  Examples: Prisons, military boot camps, monasteries, psychiatric hospitals. Socialization in these locations is different than the normal process.  Concerned with resocialization= break with past experiences and the learning of new values and norms.  Changing personality and social behavior.  Gain an ‘institutional’ identity rather an individual identity.