Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World Chapter 3 Socialization and Social Interaction

Learning Objectives Describe why socialization is important for being fully human Describe the theories of Cooley, Mead, Freud, Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan, and Erikson Identify five agents of socialization Describe good and bad aspects of the socialization these agents produce Discuss what is meant by resocialization List any two characteristics of a total institution

Learning Objectives Describe what is meant by dramaturgy and by impression management Distinguish between role and status Provide one example of role conflict or role strain Explain why new patterns of socialization might help address certain social ills in American society

The Importance of Socialization Without socialization: – One would look human, but would not act human – We would not have our society and culture Social interaction is very important for socialization Feral: Children who have been extremely socially isolated – They are socially, cognitively, and emotionally retarded

Explaining Socialization

Agents of Socialization Family Schools Peers Mass media Religion

Resocialization and Total Institutions Resocialization: A dramatic change in a person’s beliefs, values, and behavior, often occurring in total institutions Total institutions: Institutions that have total control over their residents’ lives Characteristics of total institutions: – They take away the identity of their residents in an effort to weaken their self-identity and ensure conformity to the institutions’ rules – They subject their residents to harsh treatment

Social Interaction Dramaturgical approach: Erving Goffman’s metaphor for understanding social interaction – He meant that we can understand social interaction as if it were a theatrical performance Impression management: Erving Goffman’s term for the process whereby individuals who are interacting try to convey a favorable impression of themselves According to Erving Goffman, some interaction occurs in the “frontstage,” or front region, while other interaction occurs in the “backstage”

Social Interaction Few other forms of impressions management: – The way we dress – The way we arrange the appearance of the settings in which we interact Social reality is socially constructed Social construction of reality: The process by which individuals understand and create reality through their interaction with other individuals

Social Interaction Status: Position a person occupies in society, such as parent, sibling, or teacher Status set: All the statuses that an individual holds Three kinds of statuses: – Ascribed – Achieved – Master

Social Interaction Every status is accompanied by a role Role: Behavior expected of an individual in a particular status – It help us shape our personalities Types of role problems – Role conflict: Problems arising when a person has to deal with competing demands on two or more roles To resolve role conflict, we have to choose between one role or the other, which is not a easy choice to make

Social Interaction – Role strain: Problems arising when a person performing a role has to deal with competing demands on that role – Occupying a status whose role demands a certain type of personality that differs from the one we actually have An example of role strain – You are a high school principal, the high school has a dress code – The students may want you to abolish it, the teachers and superintendents may want you to keep it, and maybe the school board would agree with the students – In trying to please all these factions, you may experience some role strain

Socialization Practices and Improving Society Some of the social ills facing the United States and other societies are: hate crime, other crime, violence against women, sexism, and racism New patterns of socialization are necessary to address these problems