SOCIALIZATION: TEXTBOOK ASSIGNMENT

THE AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION

1. How many agents of socialization can you name? BRAINSTORM LIST OF STATEMENTS AS A CLASS Family School Peers Clubs, social groups Work Media Religion Government Geography

2. Family is the most important agent of socialization because… Family provides initial love and nurturance Transmission of social and cultural values Primary source of love and support First social experiences happen within

families

3. Hidden Curriculum… The “hidden” curriculum means any information

or lessons learned through schooling that beyond the official school curriculum

The “hidden” curriculum teaches children to value competition, materialism, work over play, obedience to authority and attentiveness

The potential problem is that success in school may be based more on a students ability to conform to the “hidden” curriculum rather than by mastering formal curriculum

4. Social Norms and Peer Pressure Individuals must earn acceptance from their peers

by conforming to the groups social norms (dress, speech patterns, attitudes)

In other words when we conform to our peers norms we are rewarded by acceptance within the group

Those who do not conform to this form of “peer pressure” may be socially isolated or expelled from the group

5. Children Also Socialize Parents! Socialization is a 2-way process Children teach parents about the latest fads,

clothing, music and language Parents may also learn attitudes and

behaviors about drug use, sexuality, sports leisure and ethnic issues from their grown children

6. Racial-Ethnic Socialization Ethnocentrism Scholars may be hesitant to point out

differences in socialization practices among diverse ethnic and social class groupings because such differences have typically been interpreted by others as a sign of inadequate (or inferior) socialization practices

7. Theories of Gender Socialization Gender socialization: The aspect of socialization that contains

specific messages and practices concerning the nature of being male or female in a specific group or society

Eccles, Jacobs and Harold (1990) :Parents may respond differently to boys or girls ex: playing more roughly with boys and talking more lovingly with girls

Seegmiller, Suter and Duviant (1980): less rigid gender stereotypes in high incomer families

Serbin et al (1990): Male oriented toys given to both genders in high income families

Canter and Ageton (1986): Working class families adhere to more rigid gender expectations than middle class families

8. The “Digital Divide” Digital divide refers to the distinction between

those families that can afford a computer and internet access and those who cannot.

A conflict theorist could argue that the internet provides a means for those in positions of affluence to gain access to information that those without the money to cover computer/internet costs don’t have

It could also be a way for powerful people in society to spread ideas/ use media/ make money

9. Socialization is a lifelong process…

a) You are socialized in infancy and childhood by families

b) In childhood/ adolescence we are socialized by our peers and other agents such as school and media

c) Later in adulthood we learn lessons related to socialization in addition to those agents mentioned. Consider work, government and even out children and grandchildren

10. Resocialization Voluntary Resocialization: When we assume a new status of our own free will

(student, employee, retiree, religious conversion, medical or psychological treatment, rehabilitation)

Involuntary Resocialization occurs within a total institution (under the control of officials in isolated conditions). It generally occurs against a person’s wishes and are stripped of their former selves and depersonalized and made to adopt a new set of behaviors( Prisons, military boot camps, concentration camps, some mental hospitals)

Culture and SocializationPandya and Chispa experiment

Objectives: Students complete a role-play activity and

analyze the results. Students gain skills in observing and

describing behaviours. Students develop an understanding of how

our cultural values influence the way we view other groups.