Socialization

Chapter 4

Socialization

Socialization is the cultural process of learning to participate in group life. 

We have to learn how to think, feel, and behave in our society.

Socialization begins at birth and continues throughout your life.

Harry Harlow

Harry Harlow did an experiment with a monkey dealing with isolation and lack of socialization.

Harlow observed infant monkeys and gave them a choice between a wire monkey and a wire monkey covered with cloth.  These monkeys consistently chose the cloth monkey even when the wire monkey provided food.  They also ran to the cloth monkey when scared.

Bellwork-Explain these pictures

Results

This showed that infant monkeys needed intimacy, warmth, physical contact and comfort. 

According to experts the same can be assumed of human infants.  Intimacy and physical contact are as important as food and water.

Wild children

Turn to page 113 and read the two stories of Anna and Isabelle.

Symbol interaction

Charles Cooley and George Mead came up with a belief that human nature is shaped by society rather than by our genetics.  This belief was called the symbolic interactionist perspective.

Cooley

Cooley observed his children and came up with the idea that we learn or gain an image of ourselves as being different from other people.  This is called self-concept.

Looking glass self

Looking-glass-self is when our self-concept is based on what we believe others' think of us.  Our image of ourselves is based on what we imagine people think of us.

The looking glass may be distorted.  How someone sees or views us may be totally different than what we think.  Someone may like you when it seems they don't have any interest in you at all.

George Mead

George Mead came up with the idea that some people are more important to us than others.  These people whose judgments are more important to our self-concept are called significant others. 

Ex: mother, father, brothers, sisters, wife/husband, boyfriend/girlfriend, friends, employers, etc.

Role taking

Role taking allows us to take the viewpoint of another person and then respond to ourselves from that different viewpoint.  Ex: asking your boss for a raise.  You may anticipate your boss saying no or giving arguments against the raise so you prepare justification for your raise. Another simple example is baseball.  When a ground ball is hit to the short stop the first baseman knows he should cover first because that's where the short stop is going to throw the ball. 

Development of Role taking

Imitation stage-Age 1and 1/2 to 2Children imitate behavior without understanding whyPlay stageAge 3-4Play involving acting and thinking how another person wouldGame stageChildren consider the roles of several people simultaneously

The I and Me

Mead also came up with the "I" and the "Me."  The "me" is predictable and shaped by socialization where the "I" is spontaneous and unpredictable.  The "I" constantly interacts with the "me" when conducting our selves in social situations.  For example, if we are hungry and our friend has a candy bar, the "me" thinks of the consequences of taking it.  Therefore the "I" usually takes the "me" into consideration before making a decision; but not always.

Hidden curriculum

Family is the first exposure we ever have to socialization. 

Eventually school will be an important factor in a child's socialization. 

Schools have what’s called a hidden curriculum.  This is the informal and unofficial aspects of culture that children are taught.  These include cooperation, order, discipline, etc.

Peer groups

Peer groups are a major contributor to a person's socialization.  Peer groups are composed of people of roughly the same age and interests.

Mass media

Mass media plays a major role in socialization as well. 

Ex. Have you ever been in a maximum security prison?  Have you ever been in a court room in front of a jury?  Mass media includes television, internet, books, etc.

Socialization factors

There are 4 main factors that contribute to our socialization; family, peer groups, school, and mass media

Desocialization

Desocialization

Total institutions involve loss of identity and separation from the rest of society.  Examples are cults, prison, boot camp, rehab, etc.

- In total institutions desocialization occurs.  This is where people give up old norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors.  This usually involves being stripped of personal belongings, individualism, and personal identity.

Resocialization

After desocialization occurs, resocialization will happen.  This is when people adopt new norms, behaviors, values, and attitudes.

Anticipatory socialization

Anticipatory socialization is voluntary changing of norms, beliefs, values, etc.  For example, a high school graduate may voluntarily change these aspects of socialization to keep up with their peer group.College students would then become their new reference group or group they use to evaluate themselves and from which they acquire values, attitudes, etc.