soc

Socialization 1

Socialization: Outline What is socialization? Preconditions for socialization (Elkin & Handel)  The Study of “Self”

Charles Horton Cooley Herbert Mead Erving Goffman

2

What is Socialization?

 The process whereby individuals learn the behavior, belief and values to become a member of a society (i.e. participation in society; acceptance by the group that individual involves in)

 “a process by which people acquire cultural competency and through which society perpetuates the fundamental nature of existing social structures.”

- it is a learning process

- it is a life long process

3

Socialization

 Self-concept is to totality of our beliefs and feelings about ourselves (i.e. knowledge about oneself); Who am I?; “I am a good person.”

 Self-esteem: primarily refers to attitude towards oneself; favorable or unfavorable

 Processes important to the development of self esteem:

1. Reflective appraisal (observing or imagining what others think of us)

2. Social comparison (Compare ourselves with others)

3. Self-attribution (observing our own behavior/consequences and make inferences; I am the one contributing to this etc.)

4

Preconditions for Socialization (Elkin and Handel 1984 The Child and

Society)

 Ongoing society – patterned consistency, norms, values, beliefs for members to learn (providing members the materials for socialization/learning; what is to learn?)

 Biological inheritance – the basic biological capacity (memory, hearing, smell, sight, etc.)

 Human nature:

a. our ability to symbolize

b. our ability to empathize

5

Charles Horton Cooley 1864-1929

 A symbolic interactionist

 Interaction is the pre-requisite in the

formation of self

 The way that we know about ourselves is

not always direct

 Often through the reflection of others;

Others may have important role to play

in the development of our sense of self

6

“Looking-Glass Self”7

Self: Charles Horton Cooley

 “The concept of the looking-glass self describes

the development of one's self and of one's

identity through one's interpersonal interactions within the context of society.”

 Looking-Glass Self (formation of social self):

a. We imagine how we look in front of others

b. We imagine how others react to our

appearance

c. Develop a sense of self through the judgments of others based on “a” and “b”.

8

Herbert Mead 1863-1931

 Self is the product of a socio-symbolic process

 Composed of two distinct parts: the “I” and “Me”

 “I” = the more spontaneous, disorganized, impulsive, engages in behavior that might not have fully thought thru the consequences (as the subject)

 “Me” = the more reflective dimension of the self; incorporates the rules learned via social experience (as the object)

 How individuals hold themselves as “objects” (seeing themselves thru the eyes of others)

 “Role-Taking”: assumes other’s perspective or imagine what others are thinking and act accordingly

 “Play” provides an important context (situation) for role- taking ability to develop; crucial to socialization process

9

Role Taking

 Develops in stages

 Play/Imitation/Preparatory Stage:

a. simply copy the behavior of others

b. little role taking ability

 Game Stage

a. model after “significant other”

b. generally assuming one role at a time

 Generalized-Other Stage

a. “generalized other” – assume multiple roles in

one time

10

Erving Goffman 1922-1982

 Dramaturgical approach – actors, actresses, audience (different roles)

 Impression management – manipulate/alter the aspects of self that we want people to see; based on the situations

 In order for meaningful interaction to continue – “self image” must be protected and preserved

 “Face work” – Saving one’s own face (preserve one’s self-image); so that social interaction can be continued

 “Studied Observance” - saving the face of others

11

Re-socialization

Re-socialization: A process through which we discard old values, beliefs, behavior and learn new ones

“Total Institution” – certain organizational structure that could change or weaken the self-identity of individuals

12

Characteristics of Total Institution

 Isolation (i.e. barrier to interact with the outside world)

 Highly regimented life: “All aspects of life are conducted in the same place and under the same authority.”

 Little consideration on individuality: “Each phase of the member’s daily activity is carried on in the immediate company of a large batch of others, all of whom are treated alike and required to do the same thing together.”

 Lack of self-autonomy: “All phases of the activities are tightly scheduled….the sequence of activities being imposed from above by a system of formal ruling and a body of officials.”

 All activities centered on fulfilling the mission/objective of the organization: “The various enforces activities are brought together into a rational plan purportedly designed to fulfill the official aims of the institution.”