Socialization Process and Self Development

Socialization Process and Development of Self

• Socialization is the process where people learn appropriate attitudes, values, and actions within a particular culture. This process is lifelong.
• Socialization, according to Robertson, is the process of social interaction that helps people develop their personalities and understand their society's norms.
• Socialization influences cultural practices and shapes how individuals view themselves.
• Heredity and environment work together to affect the socialization process.

The Process of Socialization

• Instrumental conditioning
• Direct teaching
• Observational learning
• Identification

The Self and Socialization

• Cooley: Looking-glass self:
  • Self-development is a result of social interaction.
  • Three phases:
    • How individuals perceive they are presenting themselves to others
    • How others evaluate them
    • Forming opinions of themselves based on these evaluations
• Mead: Stages of the self:
  • Preparatory stage: Imitating the actions of others
  • Play stage: Using symbols and language to understand their roles and the roles of others
  • Game stage: Understanding their self and their position in relation to others within a social context.
  • Understanding multiple roles and societal positions
• Goffman: Presentation of Self (Impression Management):
  • Individuals adapt their presentation to different social settings and audiences to create a desirable image.
  • Individuals use face-work to maintain a positive image.

Psychological Approaches to the Self

• Freud: Development of Personality:
  • Personality is a result of natural instincts in conflict with societal norms.
  • Personality is influenced, especially, by parents.
  • Id: Primitive instincts
  • Ego: Reality-based matching.
  • Super-ego: Sophisticated, moral reflection
• Piaget: Cognitive Theory of Development:
  • Sensorimotor: Infants learn through touching and manipulating objects
  • Preoperational: Use of language and symbols
  • Concrete operational: Abstract logical thinking develops
  • Formal operational: Sophisticated and abstract thought emerges

Agents of Socialization

• Family: Crucial in early life development, teaching values, and shaping basic life skills. Learning feeding, cleaning, caring; gender roles (feminine, masculine norms). Positive and negative aspects.
• School: Learning national anthems, knowledge testing, rewards/punishments/conflict, income vs education (values), and exposure to social issues.
• Peer group: Teen years, impacting a child's behavior, social status, and group dynamics. Interactions teach behavior and group dynamics.
• Mass media & technology: Exposure to various media forms teaching culture, lifestyle, and norms.
• Work place: Professional behavior and occupation from education transition, important aspects like time management, skill development, and division of labor.
• Religion & the State: Impacting perspectives of religious norms, values, morality, and justice norms in societal levels. Importance of institutions like hospitals, mental health care centers and other agencies.
• Economic & Political Institutions: Understanding societal factors, influences, behavior, and participation.

Primary Socialization

• Takes place in the early years. It's focused on teaching language, cognitive skills, values, emotional bonds, and perspective on a broader societal context.
• Socializing agents like parents and caregivers reinforce learning using rewards, punishments, and approval/disapproval.

Anticipatory & Re-socialization

• Anticipatory Socialization: The process to take on a future position/occupation/relationship. Preparation for adulthood during childhood or adolescence.
• Re-socialization: The process of changing an individual's behaviors and values to align with new experiences or values associated with a new institution. A change in behavior/values through total institutions (prison, military, psychiatric hospitals).

Importance of Socialization

• Converting biological beings into social beings, fostering proper personality development, discipline, skills acquisition, and goal setting.
• Contributing to a stable social structure through positive social behavior.
• Scope for a better future and cultural transmission to next generations.
• Reducing social distance and conflict.

Sociological Approaches to the Self

• Looking-glass self: Learning about oneself through observations of how others react to them.
• George Herbert Mead: Self-development reflecting reactions from others:
  • Significance others and generalized others
• Charles Horton Cooley: Emphasizing that interactions significantly influence an individual's self-perception and development.

G.H. Mead and Self-Development

• Symbolic interactionism: Interaction relies on symbols and interpretations.
• Preparatory stage: Mimicking actions to learn social interactions.
• Play stage: Recognizing roles; viewing themselves through others' perspectives, recognizing their role in the society.
• Game stage: Understanding how their own actions affect others within the overall societal norms, values, and morality.

Jean Piaget and Cognitive Development

• Sensorimotor Stage: Learning by manipulating objects and experiencing the world.
• Preoperational Stage: Using language and symbols; thinking egocentrically
• Concrete Operational Stage: Concrete, logical, and organized thinking starts
• Formal Operational Stage: Abstract and sophisticated thoughts become present.

Explore the intricate process of socialization and its role in shaping self-identity. This quiz delves into theories from influential sociologists like Cooley and Mead, highlighting how social interactions contribute to personal and cultural development. Understand the mechanisms of socialization from various perspectives.