Socialization and the creation of social identity
Lecture Task :
How do we learn to get on with others?
Are the ways we behave shaped more by nature or by the way we are
brought up?
How do we learn to judge what others think of us and how they will react to
what we do and say?
Are we able to affect the social reality around us?
The process of learning and socialization
Culture, roles, norms, values, beliefs, customs, ideology, power and status as
elements in the social construction of reality
(LECTURE)
The importance of socialization in influencing human behavior, including
the nurture versus nature debate.
Socialization: Influencing Human Behavior
1. Definition of Socialization
Socialization is the lifelong process through which individuals learn
culture, internalize societal norms, values, beliefs, and behaviors, and
develop a sense of self and identity within their society.
2. Role of Socialization in Shaping Behavior
Formation of Identity: Socialization provides individuals with a sense
of self and identity by teaching them how to fit into their social roles
and understand their place within society.
Transmission of Culture: It facilitates the transmission of culture from
one generation to the next, ensuring continuity and stability within
societies.
Acquisition of Social Skills: Socialization teaches individuals the
necessary skills, behaviors, and etiquettes required for successful
social interaction and functioning within their communities.
Development of Morality: It helps individuals internalize societal
values and norms, leading to the development of moral reasoning and
ethical behavior.
3. Agents of Socialization
Family: Primary agent responsible for socializing children and
transmitting cultural values, norms, and traditions.
Education: Formal institution where individuals learn academic
knowledge, as well as societal norms, values, and roles.
Peers: Influence individuals' behaviors, attitudes, and socialization
particularly during adolescence, often leading to peer pressure and
conformity.
Media: Plays a significant role in shaping cultural norms, values, and
attitudes, and can influence individuals' behavior and perceptions.
Religion: Provides moral guidance, values, and beliefs that influence
individuals' behaviors and worldviews.
Workplace: Socializes individuals into occupational roles,
organizational cultures, and professional behaviors.
4. Nurture versus Nature Debate
Nurture Perspective: Emphasizes the role of socialization and
environmental factors in shaping human behavior. It suggests that
individuals' behavior is primarily influenced by their social
experiences, interactions, and upbringing.
Nature Perspective: Highlights the role of innate biological factors,
genetics, and heredity in determining human behavior. It suggests
that individuals' behavior is largely predetermined by their genetic
makeup and biological characteristics.
Interaction of Nature and Nurture: The interactionist perspective
argues that both nature and nurture play significant roles in shaping
human behavior. It emphasizes the dynamic interplay between
genetic predispositions and social experiences.
5. Feral Children
Definition: Feral children are individuals who have lived in isolation
from human contact, often raised by animals, without socialization.
Impact: Lack of socialization in feral children results in severe
developmental delays, limited language acquisition, and difficulties
integrating into human society.
Case Studies: Examples include Genie, a girl who was isolated and
abused, and Kaspar Hauser, a boy who was kept in isolation for much
of his childhood.
6. The 'I' and the 'Me' (George Herbert Mead)
Theory: George Herbert Mead's concept of the "I" and the "Me"
explores the formation of the self through social interaction.
'I': The spontaneous, creative, and impulsive aspect of the self that
responds to immediate situations.
'Me': The socialized aspect of the self that internalizes societal
expectations, norms, and roles.
Significance: The 'I' and the 'Me' illustrate the dual nature of the self,
shaped by both individual agency and socialization processes.
7. Conclusion
Socialization plays a crucial role in shaping human behavior by
transmitting cultural norms, values, and behaviors.
Feral children highlight the importance of socialization for human
development and functioning.
The 'I' and the 'Me' concept underscores the dynamic interplay
between individual agency and social influences in shaping the self.
The Presentation of Self
1. Social Construction of Self
Goffman (1959) argues that self-awareness and identity are socially constructed
through how individuals present themselves to others.
Social life is viewed as a series of dramatic episodes, with individuals acting as
actors.
2. Model of Self and Identity
Individuals are seen as actors who sometimes write their own lines (personal
identity) and sometimes follow lines written for them (external influences).
Understanding societal definitions of masculinity, femininity, and other roles
informs behavior and reactions.
3. Impression Management
Individuals "perform" identity to manage the impression others have of them,
striving to achieve desired results.
Identity performance involves adopting behaviors to create a favorable impression,
adjusting actions to meet perceived expectations.
4. Cooley's Looking-Glass Self
Cooley (1909) suggests that others act as a "looking-glass self," reflecting back the
image of ourselves as perceived by others.
Social encounters serve as mirrors, shaping individuals' self-concept based on how
others behave towards them.
5. Key Aspects of Presentation of Self
Importance of Interpretation: Identities are socially constructed and their
meanings vary historically and across cultures.
Significance of Negotiation: Identities are subject to negotiation, with
boundaries constantly being challenged and redefined
Alternatives to Socialization in Explaining Social Development
1. Biological Perspectives
Social Darwinism: Simplistic view suggesting social life is about
"survival of the fittest."
Sociobiology: Applies principles of natural selection and evolution to
human behavior, proposing a biological basis for behavior.
Biogrammars: Wilson (1979) suggests humans have biological
programming influencing behavior, though it's not genetically
determined.
2. Gender Roles and Evolutionary Biology
Wilson argues men and women are biologically programmed with
different traits, leading to the performance of specific cultural roles.
Functionalists like Parsons (1959a) argue family roles are organized
based on evolutionary principles, with women in nurturing roles and
men in providing roles.
3. Evolutionary Psychology
Explains psychological and social traits in terms of natural selection,
suggesting behaviors successful in evolution are selected and
reproduced.
Social behaviors such as family development and gender roles are
seen as evolutionary adaptations over centuries.
4. Psychological Perspectives
Genetics: Focus on genetic influences on behavior, such as
evolutionary psychology.
Neuropsychology: Examines brain structures and functions influencing
behavior.
Social Psychology: Emphasizes how environmental factors, like family
and work relationships, interact with genetic or psychological
predispositions to shape behavior.
Interactionist Theories: Similar to social psychological approaches,
focus on how individuals interpret and respond to social cues.
5. Environmental Factors
Meins et al. (2002) note that genetic instincts, like infant attachment,
can be influenced by environmental factors, particularly the
caregiver's ability to recognize and respond to the child's needs.
