Chp 5: Socialization
SOCIALIZATION
• Socialization refers to the lifelong social experience by
which individuals develop their human potential and
learn culture.
• HUMANS, unlike other living species, need social
experience to learn their culture and to survive.
• PERSONALITY : A person’s fairly consistent patterns of
acting, thinking and feeling. Personalities are built by
taking in our surroundings.
Charles H. Cooley – Looking Glass Self
• Humans represent a mirror (which people
used to call a “looking glass”) in which they
see themselves.
• What we think of ourselves, then, depends on
what we think other think of us
• Ex: “you’re smart, you’re clever, you’re
beautiful”
• Development of self-image based on how we
“THINK” others see us
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: NATURE vs.
NURTURE
Biological sciences : The Role of Nature
Charles Darwin
– study of evolution explained that each
species evolves over thousands of generations
as genetic variations improve its ability to
survive and reproduce – people have
instinctive “human nature” – i.e. “born”
criminals?
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: NATURE vs.
NURTURE
Biological sciences : The Role of Nurture
Social Scientists are careful about describing
any HUMAN BEHAVIOR as INSTINCTIVE –
because human life depends on the
functioning of the body – children share
biological traits and that heredity plays a part
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: NATURE vs.
NURTURE
Without denying the importance of nature,
NURTURE matters more in shaping human
behavior….. So, nurture is our nature….
ex: whether a person realizes any inherited
potential depends on an environmental factor
– having an opportunity to develop it.
George Herbert Mead
- Developed a theory of SOCIAL BEHAVIORISM to
explain how social experiences creates individual
personality.
Like John B. Watson, Mead believed
environmental factors to be extremely
POWERFUL in shaping behavior
Mead studied inward thinking, humanity’s
defining trait
MEAD - The SELF
- The first component and central component is
the SELF: part of the individual’s personality
composed of self-awareness and self-image.
- Mead claims the SELF develops with social
experiences. Unlike Freud, Mead rejected
the position that personality is guided by
biological drives - MEAD said SELF develops
only as the individual interacts with others.
MEAD - The SELF
- In the absence of interaction, as we see from
cases of isolated children, the body grows, but
no self emerges.
- SOCIAL EXPERIENCE is the EXCHANGE of
SYMBOLS. Humans find meaning in action by
imagining people’s underlying intentions.
MEAD - The SELF
- Understanding intention requires imagining
the situation from the other’s point of view.
- Social interaction, then, involves seeing
ourselves as others see us – a process that
involves TAKING the ROLE of the OTHER.
MEAD –The I and the ME
- By taking the ROLE of the OTHER, we become
SELF-AWARE - Mead says the self has two parts: The self is
active and spontaneous - The active side of
the self is the “I” - The self is also an OBJECT –
as we imagine ourselves as others see it – the
objective form is the “ME” -
MEAD –The I and the ME
- All social experience has both components:
- WE INITIATE AN ACTION (the I-phase of self) and
then we continue the action based on how others
respond to us (the me-phase of self)
MEAD – The Development of the Self
- The key to development the self is learning to
take the role of the other.
IMITATION (infants mimic)
PLAY (taking the role of significant others)
GENERALIZED OTHER – widespread cultural
norms and values we use as a reference in
evaluating ourselves.
JEAN PIAGET: Cognitive Development
- SENSORIMOTOR (0-2)
Infants explore their world through their
senses and motor activities. They touch, hear,
smell, grasp, suck, and shake objects. Object
permanence and emotional attachments to a
few important people form.
JEAN PIAGET: Cognitive Development
- PREOPERATIONAL (2-7 YEARS) Pre-LOGICAL
Children learn language to represent objects
and begin to use pretending and thinking
about things they cannot see. They are
egocentric (self-centered) at this stage, seeing
things only from their own perspective.
JEAN PIAGET: Cognitive Development
CONCRETE OPERATIONAL (7-11 YEARS)
Logical reasoning develops, but is very concrete
and linked to objects they can see. They learn
to add and subtract and figure out the
principle of conservation – physical properties
of objects (weight, volume) are the same
(conserved) even if appearance (form, shape)
changes.
JEAN PIAGET: Cognitive Development
FORMAL OPERATIONAL (12 YEARS to ADULT)
Abstract thinking develops. Concept are
manipulated and problem solving is thought
out in advance. Historical time can be
understood. Adolescents are cognitively
CAPABLE of such thinking, but some adults do
not become fully formally operational.
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE Infancy 0-1
CRISIS to RESOLVE
Infants depend on others and learn to trust
that their needs will be met; otherwise
become fearful, mistrusting their
environment.
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE Toddler 2-3
CRISIS to RESOLVE
Autonomy vs. Shame /Doubt
Children learn to do things on their own and
control their behavior. Encouragement and
consistent discipline builds self-esteem and
protects them from shame and humiliation
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE CRISIS to RESOLVE
Early Childhood 3-5 Initiative vs. Guilt
Exploration, role-playing and inquisitiveness are
invited by parents, if not, children feel guilty
when they initiate new behaviors.
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE CRISIS to RESOLVE
Elem School 6-12 Industry vs. Inferiority
Children need recognition in school and at home
for achievements and support for failures;
otherwise feelings of inadequacy result.
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE CRISIS to RESOLVE
Adolescence 13-19 Identity vs. Role Confusion
Young people deal w/ sexual maturity and
impending adult roles. They must integrate
previous experiences to develop a sense of
personal identity. Without an identity
compatible with who they believe they are,
role confusion occurs.
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE CRISIS to RESOLVE
Young Adult 20 + Intimacy vs. Isolation
A strong personal identity helps develop the
intimacy needed for commitment to others,
such as a spouse/significant other; otherwise
a person can become lonely and isolated.
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE CRISIS to RESOLVE
Mid-Adulthood 40+ Generativity vs. Stagnation
Career, marriage, relationships and children
are central. Contributions to the next
generation occur. Value is placed on what
he/she is doing for others, otherwise, a person
is resigned, unproductive, and may feel
worthless.
ERIK ERIKSON’s STAGES of
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STAGE – AGE CRISIS to RESOLVE
Late Adulthood 65+ Integrity vs. Despair
A life review finds meaning or lack of it in
accomplishments. Was life worthwhile or full
of disappointments and failure?
ERIK ERIKSON
As people move through the LIFE CYCLE,
continuing SOCIALIZATION occurs. Erikson’s
work serves as a vital sociological link in
understanding continuing socialization!!!
SIGMUND FREUD (1856-1939)
The work of Freud has had profound impact on the
social sciences. According to Freud, humans have
basic BIOLOGICAL NEEDS or DRIVES that conflict
with one another.
BIOLOGY is an important part of human behavior,
but unlike animals who exist solely on inborn
traits, humans have only a few general (but
powerful) instinctive forces. Freud’s model of
personality is built around this class of forces.
FREUD’s MODEL HAS 3 PARTS
1st - ID
The ID is Freud’s term for an individual’s
biological drives and impulses; this id is
selfish, irrational, ever-striving for pleasure
and gratification, and it is UNCONSCIOUS.
Ex: Newborns are totally id-driven
FREUD’s MODEL HAS 3 PARTS
2nd - SUPEREGO
Since parents/care givers, etc must inevitably
begin to say no to young children, the
unsocialized drives propelled by the ID come into
conflict with another part of the personality, the
SUPEREGO - This is Freud’s term for all the
NORMS, VALUES and MORALS that are LEARNED
through socialization. These form the demands
of society and are internalized as a person’s
conscience.
FREUD’s MODEL HAS 3 PARTS
2nd - SUPEREGO CONTINUED…..
For successful socialization, the ID must be controlled,
and it is the task of the superego to do so.
Since pleasure / gratification are always lurking in the
unconscious, the road to the socialized personality is
not an easy one.
FREUD’s MODEL HAS 3 PARTS
3rd - EGO
The EGO acts as a mediator between the
biological drives and the society that would
deny them. The EGO is largely conscious and
reality-based, which means it provides
rational plans to get what the individual
wants, but in a socially acceptable way.