INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL SCIENCES

Socialization

WHAT IS SOCIALIZATION Process of inheriting and disseminating

norms, customs and ideologies.

Man as biological being becomes a human being as result.

Socialization ensures the continuity of societies through successive generations

Socialization is accomplished through a number of agents.

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND PERSONALITY Internalization of norms

When a social norm is accepted as a personal behavior, it is called internalization.

It explains the individual tendency to behave in relatively predictable ways even in the absence of formal group pressures.

INTERNALIZATION Group norms and individual behavior

Individuals more or less follow norms accepted by a group

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INTERNALIZATION

Selective Internalization

The individual internalizes some norms from each of his reference groups but the influence of primary group – family and peers – is greater than that of more impersonal groups.

INFLUENCE OF ROLES Roles – Part people play as members of

social groups

Role socialization – Groups can function smoothly only if participants learn their lines and perform as expected.

Real life role playing requires acquisition of required skills as well as supportive emotions, attitudes and values.

Anticipatory socialization – preparing for a role in expectation that you will be required to fulfill in future.

General and segmental rolesGeneral roles are based on age, gender and

occupation and largely shape a person’s behavior

Segmental roles are played in certain situations e.g. a mother standing in line at the bank.

Adjusting to new roles

Sometimes new roles require extensive resocialization.

E.g a girl prepared for the role of wife takes on a career as a writer.

Group controls & internalized controls From a group perspective, positive and negative

sanctions are used to encourage adherence to established norms and to check potential or actual deviations

Sanctions are experienced very personally, causing pleasure or displeasure Positive gratification: Felt when a person is rewarded.

Reinforces behavior Negative gratification: Felt when a person is punished

or made to fell uncomfortable. Repeated behavior patterns tend to be firmly

established. Most effective symbolic gestures are applied

unintentionally.

Group Ranking System

Group ranking systems have the effect of narrowing the range of contact among group members.

People interact intimately with those closer to them, formally with those far to them in terms of family, class, education, responsibility etc.

AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION Personal Organization of a person is

shaped by the total pattern of his social experience.

Agents of social experience includeThe FamilyThe Peer GroupThe SchoolMass Media

FAMILY Responsibility of the

family includes Personality formation “Train” the new generation Guidance

It depends on Rural or urban family Occupation of parents Social class Gender composition of the

siblings Presence or absence of

parent(s)

THE PEER GROUP Most influential agent after the family Has a more recreational purpose Helps the child develop ideas about the

norms, roles, systems of social control, differential ranking

Teaches the child about His tolerance limits Cooperation Sharing Developing friendships

He learns to predict other people’s behaviors

Peer groups create three kinds of personalities Tradition directed: looks to accepted ways of society

for guidance in personal conduct Inner directed: found in societies going rapid

normative change as there are no stable guides. Other directed: In modern societies, these people

look to peers for ideas on how to behave. Great need for social approval and fear of social rejection.

Generation Gap Importance of peer group results in wide disparity

between norms of young people and their adults. This is due to peer group demands to think , act and

feel in ways in a sharp contrast to the elders’ norms

Generation gap Peer pressure

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THE SCHOOL Responsible to transmit to the child the

skills, knowledge, values, attitudes to be a better member of the society.

It might not always succeed in it’s task.School is potentially an arena for serious

conflict of values.School can be perceived as a punishing

activity with few successes and many failures

School can even be seen as the enemy by the child, designed to hurt and embarrass them.

THE MASS MEDIA Media and cultural norms

Media provides the “definition of the situation” on a variety of issues.

It emphasizes certain topics, stresses certain interpretations, overuses specific themes, which results in a distorted set of norms which might not be reflective of the society.

The media and incidental learning Incidental learning is the unplanned by product of the

entertainment. It gives a glimpse of the adult world to the child, which

fascinates him. He acquires concepts about people’s values, roles and

other knowledge without really seeking the information.

It might give an incorrect interpretation of the society.