Sociology: Understanding Socialization

Socialization

• Socialization is the process by which an individual learns how to interact with others and becomes a member of society
• It is a complex, lifelong process that shapes our understanding of ourselves and others

What Does Socialization Teach Us?

• Language
• Culture (norms, values, beliefs, etc.)
• Understanding of others
• Understanding of ourselves as a social being or a "social self"
• Emergence of the "social self"

Definition of the Self

• Self: the dimension of personality composed of an individual's self-awareness and self-image
• The Self is inseparable from social experience

Theories on Socialization

• George Herbert Mead: the development of the "Social Self"
• Charles Horton Cooley: the development of the "Looking Glass Self"

George Herbert Mead

• Argued that the "Social Self" develops out of social interactions with others
• Social interaction involves seeing ourselves as others see us or taking the role of the other
• 3 Components of the Social Self:
  • The "I": the subjective element of the self; involves direct experiences of the self; develops without language
  • The "Me": the objective element of the self; involves how we look at others and see ourselves; develops with language
  • The "Mind": taking the roles of others; the interplay between I and Me

Taking the Role of the Other

• Significant other: when children take the perspective of those who are most important in their lives; performed through language and symbols in imitation, modeling, or simple role-playing
• Generalized other: when children take the roles of several others at once; performed through participation in complex games or sports activities; children learn the shared expectations of an entire social group or society as a reference point for evaluating themselves

Charles Horton Cooley

• "The Looking Glass Self": the self-image that we have based on how we suppose others perceive us; we imagine ourselves in the same way that others see us; others represent a "mirror" in which we can see ourselves

Types of Socialization

• Primary socialization: socialization that occurs without the subject's knowledge of it
• Secondary socialization: socialization that is purposeful and obvious
• Anticipatory socialization: socialization that prepares people for future roles and statuses
• Reciprocal socialization: when children socialize parents like parents socialize children
• Resocialization: the process of unlearning old norms, roles, and values, and learning new ones required in a new social environment

Total Institution

• A place where people are isolated from the rest of society for a set period of time and their lives are almost completely controlled by officials who run the institution
• Examples include prisons, asylums, and the military

Agents of Socialization

• Agent of socialization: an institution or group that prepares an individual for social life and society

The Family

• The most important agent of socialization, providing for basic needs, teaching children skills, cultural values, and attitudes about themselves and others
• Passes on to children a social position (places them in society in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, and class)
• Socializes children into gender roles

The School

• Enlarges children's social world to include people with social backgrounds different from their own
• Teaches children a wide range of knowledge and skills
• Provides children with their first experience with bureaucracy
• Socializes children into gender roles

The Peer Group

• Provides young people with the experience of developing social relationships on their own and establishing an identity apart from their family
• Provides the opportunity to discuss interests not shared by adults
• Provides a sense of belonging that eases the anxiety of breaking away from the family

The Media

• Spreads information on a mass scale, connecting people
• Influences our attitudes and behavior through the images and messages it conveys
• Mirrors our society's patterns of inequality and rarely challenges the status quo
• Reflects the values of the dominant culture

Explore the process of socialization, its impact on our understanding of ourselves and others, and how it shapes our social self. Learn about the key aspects of socialization, including language, culture, and self-awareness.