THE PROCESS OF Socialization

Development

HUMAN

There are two important factors at work heredity (nature) and the sociological environment (nurture). The biological traits transferred from parents to offspring through genes in the chromosomes of the sex cells are composed of biological structures, psychological process, reflexes, capacity, urges, intelligence and other physical traits.

Cultural definitions also affect socialization. The cultural environment refers to the learned ways of living and norms of behaviors. Cultural norms are present once the child is born and these are constantly impinge on him or her. Culture continues to shape a persons personality throughout life by providing them with models.

Social environment refers to the various groups and social interactions going on in the groups of which one is a member. From the structure and size of the social group and the kind of social relations and interactions, the childs personality is formed. Inherited potentials establish the range of socialization, but the sociocultural environment greatly affects the extent to which the inherited potential can be realized.

as biologically based

BEHAVIOR

Edward Wilson suggested that social behavior is determined by inborn genetic traits similar to the influence of genetic traits on lower animals. Wilson held that genetic traits are transmitted from generation to generation through heredity.

Social groups adapt to their environment through the evolution of genetic traits or by genetic mutation and natural selection. Behavior like aggression, love, greed, or spite can be explained in terms of genetically based transmission. Culture universals indicate that culture is biologically inherited rather than learned.

Some sociologists point out that sociology underrates the emergence of the human brain, consciousness, and culture. They believe that genetic heritage and culture influence human behavior, but genetically inherited reflexes and drives do not determine how humans behave.

Theories of Personality
and the social self

Development

theory of socialization

FREUDS

The id the source of a number of drives and urges. The ego mediator between the needs of the individual and the world. The superego moral arm of personality, representing the traditional rules, values and ideals of society.

VARIOUS STAGES
1. 2.

of development

3.

Oral stage from birth to one year old. Eating is the major source of satisfaction. Anal stage ages one to three years. The anal zone becomes the center of the childs sexual interest. Phallic stage ages three to six years. The greatest pleasure comes from the sex organs. Oedipal complex Electra complex

4.

5.

Latency stage - ages six to eleven. Children turn their attention to people outside their families. Genital stage (Puberty) age 11 for girls and age 13 for boys. They focus on the opposite sex, look around for potential love partner, prepare for marriage and adult responsibilities.

and personality

CULTURE

Cultural environment the main factor for determining human behavior. Boass view personality development results from learning what is found in the culture, and that significant differences in personality are learned. Ruth Benedict maintained that individual personalities of members of a society are tiny replicas of their overall culture, with the culture as a summing-up of their personalities.

Culture presents uniform and patterned ways that influence behavior, so that the members of society tend to share many elements that differentiate them from members of other societies. Culture leaves deep and permanent effects on the individual during early childhood. Lagmays study says that child-rearing practices had influenced the development of values such as nonaggression, obedience, respect, sociability, and achievement orientation.

SYMBOLIC

interactionism

Self-identity is developed through the social interaction with others, mediated by language in the process of socialization. The distinctive attributes of human behavior grow from peoples participation in varying types of social structures which, in turn, depend on the existence of language behavior.

and the looking-glass self

COOLEY

The ability of children to visualize themselves through the eyes of others, to imagine how they appear to others, is what Cooley calls the looking glass self. Three elements: the imagination of how we appear to other persons, the imagination of the judgement of that appearance, and a sort of self-feeling, such as pride or mortification.

development of the shelf

MEAD AND THE

Mead expanded Cooleys idea of the social self by relating the idea of the self-concept to role taking. The behavior and perception held by individuals are influenced by the social groups of which they are members. The self emerges in the process of socialization mediated by language.

Through contact with mother, father, brother, or sister, children gradually see themselves as an object. Children are taught how to pray, eat properly, keep their clothes clean, and respect others. They acquire a sense of self when they develop the me or self-consciousness by seeing themselves through the responses of others. During game stage, children are able to consider the roles of other people at the same time and what are expected of all others at the same time.

To play the game of life, the individual must know his or her role in relation to others and be aware of their values.

and the dramaturgical approach

ERVING GOFFMAN

All the world is a stage. Individuals are performing and acting for their audience in everyday life. Role refers to acting in accordance with the expected norms attached to a particular position, while role performance is the actual conduct of the role in accordance with the position.

THE PROCESS
of socialization

Socialization how an infant develops into a functioning social being and emerges with a self-identity, a social self, and a personality. It is a lifelong process which begins at birth and ends at death. The people around us instruct us on what to do, what to believe in, how to behave, and even how to feel through a system of reward and punishment.

Teaching and learning the culture enable the child to become part of society, to interact smoothly with others, to share in the cultures common standards of symbols, norms, and knowledge. As Broom and Selznick said, socialization is the process of fitting into an organized way of life and established cultural tradition and includes the complementary process of transmission of the culture and social heritage and the development of personality.

Socialization is directed at the problem of continuity, which occurs when children became productive adult members. Landis states two levels of socialization primary and secondary. Primary socialization occurs in childhood through which one becomes a member of society. Secondary socialization occurs when the individual moves into and internalizes knowledge and attitudes of new sectors of life.

SOCIALIZATION
for roles

Socialization is a lifelong process where individuals develop a self-concept and prepare for roles, which in turn shape personality. The child must learn the categories or statuses by which to identify or define himself or herself. Societies have developed two types of statuses: the ascribed and the achieved.

Ascribed statuses those assigned to the individual from birth and which involve little personal choice, like age and sex. Achieved statuses acquired by choice or through merit and individual effort and is made possible through special abilities or talents, performance, or opportunity.

Essentials in role-playing: 1) A definition of the role and an identification of self; 2) Behavior in given situations appropriate to the role; 3) A background of related acts by others; 4) An evaluation by the individual and by others of the performance of the role.

of socialization

AGENCIES

The Family The Peer Group The Church The School Mass Media The Workplace Gender Socialization