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INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 3E

Chapter 5 SOCIALIZATION

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Emergency workers from College of DuPage are prepared to treat patients with a wide array of illnesses and injuries. Beyond their medical training, they build skills in decision making, teamwork, communication, and stress management. These abilities can be extremely valuable throughout the workers' life and careers, even if they move into other areas of employment. However, fast and efficient decision making doesn't always translate to less intense environments. (Credit: COD Newsroom/Flickr)

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Q: IN NOEL’S STORY, WHO WAS RIGHT?

  1. Noel was correct. They saw something and took action.
  2. Tracy was correct. She acknowledged Noel found an in issue, but wanted it handled in a less disruptive way.
  3. Neither was entirely correct. Noel could have handled the error in a better way, and Tracy could have trained (socialized) Noel in the work environment and approach.

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INTRODUCTION

Socialization: the process through which people are taught to be proficient members of society by describing the ways that people come to understand societal norms/expectations, to accept society’s beliefs, and to be aware of societal values.

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GEORGE HERBERT MEAD

Self refers to a person’s distinct identity that is developed through social interaction.

Generalized Other: the common behavioral expectations of general society.

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KOHLBERG’S IDEAS ABOUT MORAL DEVELOPMENT

Moral Development: the way people learn what society considers to be “good” and “bad”, important for a smoothly functioning society.

Moral development prevents people from acting on unchecked urges.

Three stages:

  • Preconventional: children experience only through their senses
  • Conventional: teens and young adults become more aware of others’ feelings and take them into account.
  • Postconventional: Believe in morality in abstract or universal terms outside of one-to-one relationships.

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GILLIGAN’S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT AND GENDER

Researched young children of different genders.

  • Boys exhibited morality based on justice – focusing on rules and laws.
  • Girl exhibited a caring and understanding perspective – focusing on empathy and reasons for bad behavior

While the study has been criticized for its sample size, Gilligan did demonstrate limitations of earlier work. For example, she reacted to Kohlberg’s focus on boys and men instead of other genders.

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NATURE VS. NURTURE

Nurture can be defined as the relationships and caring that surround us that makes us who we are.

Nature: our genetics (temperaments, interests, and talents) are setup before birth make us who we are, rather than the environment around us

In both research-oriented and more casual conversations and debates, the origin of behaviors and beliefs – whether they arise from nature or nurture – are frequent topics of discussion.

For example, are certain people born with a likelihood to be very outgoing, or do they develop that tendency based on instruction, example, or desire?

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NATURE VS. NURTURE IN TWINS

Twins can be interesting subjects regarding nature vs. nurture:

They are often biologically similar or identical.

They are often raised in the same environment by the same parents/family.

Yet they can be very different from an early age.

“Twin studies” make up a significant portion of social science research, but they have been criticized for assumptions, and cannot be applied to entire society.

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SOCIAL GROUP AGENTS

Family

  • Immediate and extended family
  • Historical and societal context impacts the way a child is raised
  • Socioeconomic status and related circumstances
  • Race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and other elements of family background affect how people within the family are socialized.

A Peer Group refers to a group of people who are similar in age and social status, who share interests.

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FIGURE 5.4

 The socialized roles of parents and guardians vary by society. (Credit: Quaries.com/flickr)

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INSTITUTIONAL AGENTS

  • School
    • Hidden Curriculum: the informal teaching done by schools that reinforce societal norms.
  • The Workplace
  • Religion
  • Government
  • Mass Media: distribute impersonal information to a wide audience via television, newspapers, radio, and the Internet

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FIGURE 5.6

Workplace socialization occurs informally and formally, and may include material and non-material culture. People may learn through trainings, documentation, meetings, and observing others. Especially in office settings, only some of the rules may be defined in documentation such as codes of conduct.

(Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture/flickr).�

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Q: WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS REGARDING YOUNG CHILDREN AND PRINCESS MOVIES/CULTURE?

  1. Overall, princess movies promote positive values and should be encouraged.
  2. I don’t love princess culture, but it doesn’t cause significant harm.
  3. Princess movies send some mixed or negative messages to children and should be limited.
  4. Princess movies have very negative effects on children and should be avoided.

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Q: WITH WHICH WOMAN CHARACTERS DO YOU THINK MOST YOUNG GIRLS IDENTIFY WITH OR ADMIRE MOST?

  1. Characters like Belle, Ariel, and Cinderella
  2. Characters like Tiana, Moana, and Merida
  3. Characters like Elsa
  4. Characters like Rey

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SOCIALIZATION ACROSS LIFE COURSE

Anticipatory Socialization is the way adults prepare for future life roles.

Age-related transition points such as getting a first job, having a child, retiring, and so on.

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POST-HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AROUND THE WORLD

In U.S:

  • Two-thirds of HS grads enroll in college before age 24
  • About one-third of that same population is also in the work force
  • About 69% of the college attendees attend college immediately after HS.

In contrast, in Denver, only 25% of students enroll in college immediately. Many take gap years or other interim periods.

Many countries require military service, as well. Dozens require it for men, and several require it for all genders.

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RESOCIALIZATION

Resocialization: old behaviors that were helpful in a previous role and removed because they are no longer of use, and new relevant behaviors take their place.

Degradation Ceremony: new members of an institution lose the aspects of their old identity and are given new identities.

These occur in some obvious places, such as the military or (in some people’s eyes) joining a religious order or group. But they also occur in some professional training or even cultural immersion situations.

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