What Makes You, You?

The way ppl learn to think & act Done through encounters with other people/groups (social contact) Allows new members to learn accepted ways of behaving w/in a certain culture Socialization takes place through the interaction with others can be intentional or unintentional Various types of social contact are called the agents of socialization

Family Peers School Media Culture What does each agent teach us about acceptable behaviour? How do they teach us?

Family (most important – moulds values, beliefs, religious/political views etc) School (2 nd most important b/c teaches important knowledge from society including acceptable behaviours – forces children to engage socially) Peers (social contact is a major influence b/c behaviour patterns are shaped by what peers feel are acceptable) Media (portrays norms and reinforces views by repeated exposure) Culture (passes religious, nationalistic traditions, allows to meet other members of society)

Include the agents that are closest to an individual; family and friends Most important b/c they play a critical role in shaping the life & behaviour of an individual within society at a child’s earliest age

Secondary agents are those institutions or places that help an individual find their place within society Examples: school, work, religion These agents help an individual improve their social skills & integrate them into society

There are also social classes These agents of socialization divide individuals into categories within society For instance, socioeconomic classes include lower class, working middle class, as well as the working elite (wealthy)

Agents of socialization affect an individual & an entire population Life Cycle Effect: causes an individual or group to alter their beliefs/behaviour Example: Political revolution (military coup, etc) Period Effect: affects entire society and usually occurs due to disease, depressions, or wars Cohort Effect: a social event that creates a major impact on a specific group of people (e.g. Atomic Bomb)

The 1 st 5yrs of life & throughout childhood, parent/guardian(s) are the primary agent(s) of socialization Most parents take the responsibility of raising children seriously & attempt to make real efforts to help their children learn appropriate behaviour Hwr, some parents have their own agenda

Parents w/ an agenda are so rigorous & specific about how children should grow and develop that they leave very little room for the child to develop their own ideas or beliefs These parents typically have ideas that go against the norms of society and pass their ideas on to their children Some people refer to this as exploitation or abuse We are about to watch and record notes on Richard Sandrak aka, “The World’s Strongest Boy”The World’s Strongest Boy Write notes about what the parents are teaching the child about himself and the world.

What did Richard Sandrak’s parents teach him about himself? What did his parents teach him was important in the world? Is this a form of exploitation and/or abuse? What other celebrity examples can you think of that are similar to this case?