1. Chapter 4: Socialization:
Becoming Human and Humane
Soc 100
Dr. Santos

2. Introduction
Socialization- the lifelong process of learning to become a member of the social world
Interaction - the basic processes of socialization through which a child is shaped into a human being, learns its culture, and becomes a member of a society
Social self - the changing perceptions we have of who we are as a result of ongoing socialization, from birth to death.

3. The Nature vs. Nurture Debate
The debate over whether biology (genes, evolution) or socialization explains the self and all human behaviors
Sociobiology (evolutionary psychology)- is a bio-determinist theory that claims our genetic make-up “wires” us for certain social behaviors
Not well accepted by most sociologists > 1920s
Greatly abused in from 1850 (Social Darwinism) all the way to 1945 (Fascism)

4. The importance of socialization
Children need human contact, affection, and interaction in order to fully develop
E.g., Anna, Isabelle, neglected orphan children, the latter with deaf-mute mother
Because these children were not socialized at the proper time, their developmental disorders persisted after attempts to integrate them into society, Anna much worse than Isabelle

5. Socialization and the social world
Most of our experiences are a part of our socialization experience
Micro-level- e.g., parents, friends
Meso-level- e.g., schools and religion
Macro-level- e.g., national advertisements
Organizations and institutions are dependent upon socialized people to help them persist: school, boot camp, internship, church school, etc.

6. The Structural-functionalist perspective - different socializing agents support one another --> social harmony --> social order
The Conflict perspective - different socializing agents have conflicting goals --> social conflict --> social change
Those who have power use socialization to manipulate others into supporting the power structure that benefits the elite --> “false consciousness” among subordinate social strata
Most individuals have very little power to decide or control their futures (not so if organized & mobilized for collective action - “consciousness”)

7. Development of the self
Self - the perceptions we have of who we are which are developed from our perceptions of the way others respond to us in our myriad interactions
The development of the self begins at birth and through infancy
Biology and sociology both contribute to the development of the self

8. The looking glass self (Cooley)
We imagine how we appear to others
We interpret how others judge that appearance and then respond to that interpretation through behavior
We experience feelings of pride or shame based on this imagined appearance and judgment by others
We respond based on our interpretation

10. Role-taking (Mead)
We imagine ourselves from the point of view of others and assume the role we think we are
When humans can symbolically recognize objects, they can then view the self as an object
This process begins with having a name, which differentiates the self from other objects
Only humans use symbols
We imagine ourselves being others: role-playing

11. Symbolic interaction theory
We take the actions of ourselves and others into account and take mental notes accordingly
The self can be passive (developed by the way that others see us) and active (an initiator of action - an agent)

12. Parts of the self (Mead)
The “I”- spontaneous, unpredictable, impulsive; acts without considering social consequences
The “me”- knows the rules of society and attempts to channel the impulses of the “I” into socially acceptable behavior that still meets the “I’s” needs
The “me” requires the ability to take the role of the other

13. Stages in the development of the self (Mead)
Play - children actually take on the role of particular others, but do not understand complex relationships
Game- children can take the role of multiple others at once and understand the generalized other
Generalized other- a composite of societal expectations
Can now play complex games (e.g., baseball)

14. The connections of the self to the meso-level
Iowa school
Our sense of self is defined by our social positions within organizations and institutions in society
The self is relatively stable because a core self develops
Because those organizations are so important to our core self, we have a vested interest in their preservation

15. Socialization throughout the life cycle
Rites of passage occur at most stages
Important because they impact how others perceive the individual, how the individual perceives herself, and what is expected of the individual
Infant - Childhood - Adolescence
Adulthood - Middle Adulthood
– Retired and the Elderly Death and Dying

16. The process of resocialization
Resocialization- the process of abandoning one or more social positions in favor of others that are more suitable for a newly acquired status
Can be voluntary or non-voluntary

17. Agents of socialization
Agents are the mechanism through which the self learns the beliefs, values, and behaviors of the culture
The importance of various agents change over the life course
Agents can be formal or informal
Socialization differs by parenting style, social class, race, sex, etc.

18. Families as agents of socialization
Families use positive and negative sanctions to help teach right from wrong
The amount and type of sanctions differ by family
Family socialization differs by culture
The number of children in a household and birth order can influence individual socializations

19. Social class and socialization
Social class- the wealth, power, and prestige rankings individuals hold in society
Parents socialize their children to enter into adult roles common to other members of their social class
The unequal distribution of resources in society have an impact on who we become

20. Electronic media: Meso-level agents within the home
Children in the U.S. spend more time watching television than any other waking activity
What messages do these agents of socialization send to children?