The Importance of Socialization
Socialization is the cultural process of learning to
participate in group life. Without it, we would not
develop many of the characteristics we associate
with being human. Studies have shown that animals
and human infants who are deprived of intensive
and prolonged social contact with others are
stunted in their emotional and social growth.
—  How important to you is interacting with others on
a daily basis?
—  A. Very important
—  B. Somewhat important
—  C. Not very important
—  D. Not important at all
Socialization and Personality
—  Socialization is the cultural process of learning to
participate in group life through cultural
transmission.
—  Harry Harlow experimented with monkeys to show
the importance of affection, intimacy, and warmth.
Page 111
—  Case Studies on Isolated Children: Anna and
Isabelle (Genie pg 109)
—  Anna and Isabelle show that the personal and social
development associated with being human is acquired
through intensive and prolonged social contact with others.
—  The implication of the cases of Anna, Isabelle, and Genie is
unmistakable. The personal and social development
associated with being human is acquired through intensive
and prolonged social contract with others.
Harlow’s Monkey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O60TYAIgC4
Raised by
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=supIJ0JgLGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93HymGXC_wM
Case study Genie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjZolHCrC8E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEnkY2iaKis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2Blh9KydjA
—  Which of the following is a result of
socialization?
A.
A man holding a door
open for a woman
B.
Using chopsticks to eat
food
C.
Sitting quietly in class
D.
All of the above
—  Do you agree or disagree with the following
statement: Social development requires
prolonged social contact with others?
A.
Agree
B.
Disagree
C.
Not sure
Socialization the the
Self
Socialization and the Self
All three theoretical perspectives agree that
socialization is needed if cultural and societal
values are to be learned. Symbolic interactionism
offers the most fully developed perspective for
studying socialization. In this approach, the selfconcept is developed by using other people as
mirrors for learning about ourselves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJnJz7RvDFA
—  Which group would you consider as a reflection of
yourself?
A. Friends
B. Classmates
C. Siblings
THE FUNCTIONALIST & CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES ON
SOCIALIZATION
® How does the functionalist perspective explain socialization?
⊃ Stresses the ways in which groups work together to create a stable
society
® How does the conflict perspective explain socialization?
⊃ Views socialization as perpetuating the status quo
The Functionalist and Conflict
Perspective on Socialization
—  Functionalism stresses the ways in which groups work
together to create a stable society.
—  Schools and families, socialize children by teaching the same
basic norms, beliefs, and values.
—  If it were otherwise, society could not exist as a whole, it would
be fragmented and chaotic.
—  The conflict perspective views socialization as a way of
perpetuating the status quo.
—  Example- when people accept their families social class, they
help preserve the class system.
—  People learn their social status before they have enough self
awareness to realize what is happening.
Symbolic Interactionism and
Socialization
—  Key concepts of symbolic interactionism:
—  The self-concept—your image of yourself as having an
identity separate from other people.
—  The looking-glass self—we use other people as mirrors
to reflect back what we imagine they think of us.
—  The looking-glass self is a three-step process:
—  We imagine how we appear
to others.
—  We imagine the reaction of others to our appearance.
—  We evaluate ourselves according to how we imagine
others have judged us.
Symbolic Interactionism and
Socialization (cont.)
—  George Herbert Mead (1934), pointed out that some
people are more important to us than others.
—  Significant others are the people whose judgments are
most important to our self concepts.
—  Role taking allows us to see ourselves through the eyes
of someone else.
—  This is a three stage process:
—  Imitation Stage, Mead’s first stage in the development of role
taking; children begin to imitate behaviors without
understanding why
—  Play Stage, Mead’s second stage in the development of role
taking; children act in ways they imagine other people would
—  Game Stage, Mead’s third stage in the development of role
taking; children anticipate the actions of others based on
social rules
Symbolic Interactionism and
Socialization (cont.)
—  The generalized other is an integrated conception of
norms, values, and beliefs of one’s community or
society.
—  Self equals “I” (unlearned, spontaneous acts) versus
“Me” (predictability and conformity learned through
socialization).
—  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbu37yuGB4
—  http://www.hrmvideo.com/catalog/beyond-thelooking-glass-self-esteem-and-body-image
—  Obsessing over the way certain people at school
may view the way you dress is an example of
which concept?
A. The looking-glass self
B. Significant others
C. Role taking
D. The generalized other
Agents of Socialization (pg
121-127)
During childhood and adolescence, the major agents
of socialization are family, school, peer group, and
mass media. The family’s role is critical in forming
basic values. Schools introduce children to life
beyond the family. In peer groups, young people
learn to relate as equals. The mass media provide
role models for full integration into society.
The Family and Socialization
—  Within the family, the child learns to:
—
—
—
—
—
Think and speak
Internalize norms, beliefs, and values
Form some basic attitudes
Develop a capacity for intimate and personal relationships
Acquire a self-image
Socialization in Schools
—  The hidden curriculum teaches
children:
discipline
order
cooperation
conformity
—  These characteristics are required
for success in the adult world of
work.
—
—
—
—
—  They are separate from the
“official” curriculum. Reading,
Writing, and Arithmetic
Peer Group Socialization
—  A peer group is composed of individuals of roughly
the same age and interests.
—  In peer groups, children gain experience in:
—
—
—
—
Conflict, competition, and cooperation
Self direction
Independence from adults
Developing close ties with friends outside the family
—  Do you think peers or family have more influence on
children?
A. Peers
B. Family
The Mass Media and Socialization
—  Mass media are means of
communication designed to
reach the general population,
such as television,
newspapers, radio and the
internet.
—  Positive effects:
—  The display of role models
—  Exposure to ideas about the
values in their society
—  Negative effects:
—  Exposure to violence
—  Unrealistic stereotypes
Availability of Television
Processes of Socialization (pg
128-132)
Symbolic interactionism views socialization as a
lifelong process. Desocialization is the process of
having to give up old norms. Resocialization begins
as people adopt new norms and values.
Anticipatory socialization and reference groups are
concerned with voluntary changes, such as moving
from one life stage to another.
—  Which do you think is the greatest change in a
person’s life?
A. Working for a living
B. Getting married
C. Having children
Desocialization and
Resocialization
—  Total institutions—places where residents are
separated from the rest of society.
—  The purpose of these places is to desocialize
and then resocialize people.
—  Desocialization—the process by which people
give up old norms, values, attitudes, and
behaviors. (Military, Prisons, Cults)
—  Resocialization—the process in which people
adopt new norms, values, attitudes and
behaviors. (usually includes elaborate reward/
punishment systems to modify behaviors)
—  Which is NOT an example of a total institution?
A. Military
B. Prison
C. College
Anticipatory Socialization
—  Anticipatory socialization is the process of
preparing (in advance) for new norms, values,
attitudes and behaviors.
—  A group of people will use a reference group to
evaluate themselves and acquire attitudes, values,
beliefs, and norms.
Rates of Imprisonment
This map shows the number of prisoners with
sentences of more than one year per 100,000 U.S.
residents.