Child Socialisation
For this assignment you can choose from the following theorists. Bear in mind that
these theories were developed by academics and are intended for university students
and professionals. Try to choose the theorists with asterisks because their theories are
easier to understand at HSC level!
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Bonfenbrenner
*Erikson
Green
Balson
*Piaget
*Vygotsky
*Freud
Kohlberg
There are lots of easy-to-read sources in free essay sites but these frequently have
wrong information, and are answering a different question. Please don’t use them for
your assignments because they will get you the same lousy marks the original student
received!
Preliminary Reading
To find out why you need to know this stuff, read the anecdote at the beginning of this
article:
http://www.nyu.edu/classes/persell/aIntroNSF/Documents/BecomingAMemberOfSoc
iety37Reading.html
This document has very simple very introductory comments about the theorists:
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/.../tlsupp_005.pdf BROKEN
LINK!
This set of lecture notes gives some elementary definitions and also raises some real
problems with research into child socialisation (ie things you could question in your
assignment) t’s a good starting point because it locates your theorists among all the
different concepts of socialisation that are out there.
http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/kwarner/soc110/chapter_5_outline.htm
This powerpoint was part of a university lecture. It extends the overview given in
your textbook and has a useful (but very basic) summary of some major theorists
(Bonfenbrenner, Freud, Piaget). Ignore the opening gambit and keep clicking through
the annoying animation
http://ppt11-09.co.cc/files/SOCIALIZATION-Final_Lec_1.ppt
This is part of a university course on the role of the family. Scroll down to the
“Ecological Theory” subheading for a summary of Bonfonbrennner and why he’s
important. https://azeip.nau.edu/azeip_user/tsg/CF/IA.aspx
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
For more detailed overviews of each theorist, try this relatively readable textbook
overview. If a key word is mentioned here, you probably need to understand it!
http://wps.pearsoned.ca/ca_ph_macionis_sociology_6/73/18922/4844242.cw/index.ht
ml
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
Uri Bonfenbrenner
Bonfenbrenner’s theories are aimed to point out the proper role of the
government in providing the appropriate resources for families to
participate in effective child socialisation.
These materials from Bay Mills Community
College outline all the main aspects of
Bonfenbrenner’s ecological theory of child
socialisation. Doing the activity on Handout 1
will help you with your research. If you go to
Index you’ll see a whole course aimed at child
care workers (I think) which puts this section
of the CAFS course into a real life perspective.
http://www.bmcc.org/Headstart/Trngds/Enhan
cing/module1.htm
This article is aimed at CAFS teachers, but the first two pages have clear simple
introductions to the theories of Bonfenbrenner, Piaget, Erikson and Balson & Green.
http://10ss.qtp.nsw.edu.au/newhsc/pdf/csnews6/cspdhpe6.pdf
This is one of the more accessible essays. The sentences and paragraphs are shorter
which helps when reading academic language, but you need to read carefully.
Highlighting the key 5-6 words in each para will help.
http://www.powereality.net/ecological-systems.htm
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
Erik Erikson
Erikson sees development as a series of 8 stages from birth to death
– ie. we never stop learning! It’s not enough to describe his stages.
You should also think very clearly around the categories he uses.
Try to take a critical viewpoint: when will/won’t these categories
work? Can you see them in yourself? Your friends? Your younger
siblings or cousins?
“Everybody Rides the Carousel was an adaptation of Erik Erikson‘ 1956 book, Eight
Stages of Development. Erikson was a psychologist who theorized that man goes
through eight stages of development from birth to death, and he proceeds to break
them down. The Hubleys took this book and broke these eight stages into horses on a
carousel.” Micheal Sporn Animation, July ’08.
If you’re a visual learner, one way to think about this assignment is to design the
carousel horses for each stage in Erikson’s theory. As long as you explain why you
designed each horse that way, you could use the drawings as part of the answer to Q.1.
This site is aimed at parents and is the most readable source around. You will still
have to think very clearly around the categories he uses. Try to take a critical
viewpoint: when will/won’t these categories work? Can you see them in youself?
Your friends? Your younger siblings or cousins?
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/erickson.shtml
The Family Development Institute has prepared this outline for parents.
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&safe=active&q=erikson+stages+of+socialis
ation&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
This site looks at the implications of Erikson’s theories for adolescents. It’s much
more readable than the others, but it only covers one aspect of the theory.
http://socyberty.com/psychology/erikson%e2%80%99s-stages-and-psychologicalissues-of-adolescense/
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
Christopher Green & Maurice Balson
Both of these theorists have developed theories to help parents managed their
children’s behaviour - think “Supernanny”! They apply most to pre-school aged
children, esp. toddlers (Green). Even though almost any book opr article on managing
young children will refere to these theorists, it’s very hard to find useful information
about these theorists. If you’re really interested, you could try to find Green’s book,
Toddler Training (Penrith Public Library has a copy).
This link opens a document with an essay about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder which puts his theories (and some others) into a real life situation. Scroll
down to Appendix 8/p.50. This may be of use if you’re already interested in ADHD.
ADHD Shared Care Manual - THE GUIDE FOR A BUSY GP
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
Jean Piaget
Piaget was one of the first theorists to separate child development
into different stages and his theories are still very important because
he considers different types of development, showing the way the
different parts of the brain develop.
However, because his theory is rooted in an early 20th century worldview, he doesn’t consider the importance of family and community.
If you choose this theorist you should think about the limitations of
his theory as well as the contributions he made to later theories.
(This will give you a much higher mark because it shows that you
can explain the strengths and weaknesses of the theory, but you
should look briefly at some of the other theories as well so that you
know what you’re talking about when you critique him.)
This site, aimed at parents, covers all the main points of Piaget’s theories.
http://www.kidsdevelopment.co.uk/PiagetsCognitiveDevelopmentTheory.html
This site outlines all the main points of Piaget’s theories, but the language is quite
abstract and scientific. Use a dictionary and learn the keywords because you’ll need
them anyway when you write your explanation.
http://socialtheory1.tripod.com/
Cliff’s notes gives you a fairly simple summary and then a set of detailed pages
(which have much more info than you need). Be selective about which sections you
paste for Q.1. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Piagets-Model-of-CognitiveDevelopment.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26859.html
Sparknotes has a simple summary of Piaget (scroll down) with enough details to get
you through this assignment if you think critically about them.
http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/socialization/section1.rhtml
This article describes ways that teachers can use Piaget’s theories in a classroom
setting. I t presents a general overview and the teaching tips may be useful for
Question 2. http://educ-reality.com/jean-piaget-and-lev-vygotsky/
This site is useful because it shows how Vygotsky’s theory fills in the gaps left by
Piaget’s theory. http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/vygotsky.html
This article opens by explaining the aspects of Piaget’s theory which were developed
further by Kohlberg. It could be useful as a critique of Piaget’s theory.
http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2245/Moral-Development.html
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
Vygotsky
Vygotsky was interested in helping people learn better. His theories
contrast different ways of teaching and learning and explain why people
learn better in a social situation (ie group work) than just from a textbook.
If you choose this theorist, think about the way you learn, the teachers
you like and the types of tasks which make you learn best and see
whether his model works for you.
This is a simple introduction in more-or-less every-day language.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/29997/vygotskys_theory_of_cognitive_dev
elopment.html
UNESCO promotes Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theories of learning in this webpage.
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.phpURL_ID=26925&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
This site is a useful introduction if you don’t mind reading education-ese. Look up the
keywords (in wikipaedia etc., not a dictionary) and use them in your assignment.
http://www.learning-theories.com/vygotskys-social-learning-theory.html
This is one of the best sites for this theory. It is particularly useful because it shows
how Vygotsky’s theory fills in the gaps left by Piaget’s theory.
http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/vygotsky.html
This article describes ways that teachers can use Vygotsky’s theories in a classroom
setting. I t presents a general overview and the teaching tips may be useful for
Question 2. http://educ-reality.com/jean-piaget-and-lev-vygotsky/
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud tried to discover why people act in different ways to
social rules. His explanation seems over-simplified (and extremely sexist)
today but it was ground-breaking at the time. If you choose this theory,
you might like to research some off the criticisms as well.
Scroll down the sparknotes site to find a simple summary of Freud’s theory.
http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/socialization/section1.rhtml
This powerpoint is an accessible introduction to the two different aspects of Freud’s
theories, with well-chosen examples.
http://www.dc3.edu/mike_ryan/SIGMUNDFREUD07.ppt
This powerpoint which gives background on Freud and his theories, but it may not
make total sense without details. It has a couple of good diagrams that may help you
understand more complex sources.
http://core.ecu.edu/soci/juskaa/SOCI2110/Lectures/socialization/index.htm
This is as simple as you’re going to get on Freud but it lack details. A good place to
start. http://www.essortment.com/all/freudpersonalit_rkjd.htm
This site has details in relatively everyday language.
http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/personalityelem.htm
This is a general list of ways women have viewed Freud’s theories.
http://psychology.about.com/od/sigmundfreud/p/freud_women.htm
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010
Kohlberg
Kohlberg was interested in what makes different people make different moral
decisions (ie discisions about right and wrong). His theory makes a lot of sense, but
not everyone reaches the final stages and his experienets only included boys. If you
choose this theory, you should also read carol Gilligan’s theory because she found
that girls make moral decisions in a completely different way.
Sparknotes has a very simplistic summary of Kohlberg (scroll down) which is worth
reading to start you off.
http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/socialization/section1.rhtml
This is a thorough examination of Kohlberg’s theory which explains how if develops
from Piaget’s theories. It’s slightly simpler than most of the other detailed analyses,
but aimed at a university audience.
http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2245/Moral-Development.html
This essay presents Gilligan’s criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory – ie. how he made
women look less moral than men. It’s an academic essay but the language isn’t too
bad. It also includes a detailed outline of Kohlberg’s theory.
http://wrightjj1.people.cofc.edu/psychology/Gilligan's%20Theory%20of%20Feminin
e%20Morality.doc
c) Anish Carmyn, Auburn Girls High School, 2010