HSB 4 UI Challenge and Change in Society

HSB 4 UI – Challenge and Change in Society Unit III – Social Theory Agents of Socialization

Socialization - Review • From Unit I: • What is Socialization? • Learning values, norms, customs and culture of a society • Primary vs. Secondary Socialization • Primary = Family • Basic behaviors needed to interact with other humans • Secondary = Everything Else • Specific behaviors needed to interact amongst humans in specific group settings / situations (IE School, Church, Work etc.

Agents of Socialization • Human societies need to replace members who can function within and integrate successfully into those societies • Culture: defined as all the information that is passed onto new humans from their parents • Information = Customs, language, gesturing, norms, values, etc. • Since culture is not genetically transmitted, these new members must be taught how to live and act within their society

Agents of Socialization • This process is known generically as “socialization” • Ongoing process that begins at birth and carries on till death

• Agent of Socialization – General Points: • People, groups and organizations that influence the process of integrating into the society in which we live • Influences our sense of self-concept, emotions and attitudes • Teaches morals, values, norms which are important to a society • Organization that is recognized and exists to prepare people for the role they will play in society

• Agent of Socialization – General Points: • Lastly, exist to keep people in a state of conformity: • They are controlled and help control other new members of society

THE FAMILY • First human group that affects an individual is usually their family • Unlike animals, humans cannot survive on their own after they are born

THE FAMILY • Family gives humans a basic sense of self, values, beliefs, and directs motivations • This also includes how much value we place on ourselves / sense of self concept

THE FAMILY • Family is where humans first learn to compare themselves to other humans • “adjective comparisons” • Smarter, Stronger, Better Looking etc. • We also learn our first Dominance Hierarchy in the family: • Parents, Older Siblings etc. • Children begin to understand that the family is a “structure” and try to figure where they fit in • Generally the most powerful Agent of Socialization in peoples’ lives is their family

RELIGION • Religion has traditionally been an important element of socialization in societies • Typically influences peoples’ ideas of right and wrong (morals and ethics) • Reinforces values such as conformity, tradition, and adherence to ceremony • Also shapes peoples’ belief about the “afterlife” • This frequently serves as a way to further keep people in a state of conformity

SCHOOL AND EDUCATION • Schools have two purposes in society: • MANIFEST FUNCTION • The stated, intended purpose of an action • On the surface, schools serve to educate people • Teach technical skills such as literacy, math, critical thinking and knowledge

SCHOOL AND EDUCATION BUT Schools have a second, more sinister purpose…

SCHOOL AND EDUCATION • LATENT FUNCTION: • The secondary, hidden or often unintended consequences of an action • Schools exist for other purposes other than education • Children are supervised by adults (teachers) • Teachers are a “bridge” between parents and other adults in society • Teachers do not love children unconditionally like their parents do • However, they are not impersonable employers either

SCHOOL AND EDUCATION • Universality: • The same rules that apply in the home apply at school • Apply to everyone regardless of who they or their parents are (Rule of Law) • Evaluative: • Children begin to recognize that their behavior is being evaluated and written into permanent records

SCHOOL AND EDUCATION • THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM • Refers to the values and norms that society considers important that get taught in schools • IE Blending of questions in different subjects relating to: • Tolerance • Fairness • Democracy • Honesty • Equality • Capitalism

PEER GROUP - When children enter school for the first time they are introduced to peers their own age - PEER GROUP: - Individuals of roughly the same age who are linked by a common interest - IE Friends, Clubs, Gangs, Teams, Co-Workers etc. - Peer Group frequently overthrows the family as the primary agent of socialization - Reinforces children’s conception of GENDER SOCIALIZATION - Expectations of our gender roles are highly defined by the peer group

PEER GROUP - What are considered to be “good” traits for boys? - Athletics, Competition, “Coolness, ” Agressiveness, Lack of Emotions - Girls? - Maturity, Clothing and Appearance, “Sexiness, ” “Drama, ” Academics (? )

PEER GROUP - Peer groups are the most compelling agent of Soc. - Conform or be rejected - Most peer groups are not compulsory - Desire to fit in - Provide opportunities / excuses for other activities: - “Going to the mall” “parties” etc. - Peer groups set standards for music, clothing, attitudes and lifestyle choices

THE WORKPLACE - Comes into play later in life - Range = Part-Time jobs to Lifelong Careers - Consider: What skills have you learned from your current jobs? - Career Socialization involves four stages: - Career Choice: Selection of career based on many needs and desires of the individual - Anticipatory Socialization: Preparing to take on the role you will play for that career (school, volunteer etc. )

THE WORKPLACE - Conditioning and Commitment: Learning the positives and the negatives of a career but accepting them as part of the job (stay or run) - Continuing Commitment: People tend to stick with a career in spite of the alternatives that might arise - Master Role - Term meaning a role that a person considers themselves before all others - As people get further in a career, that job becomes their master role: - Teacher, Doctor Lawyer

THE WORKPLACE - Note that some roles carry certain norms and expectations with them: - Police and speeding, illegal downloading etc.

THE MEDIA - The media is the newest Agent of Socialization in most societies - Traditionally television has been the principal medium used by the media to socialize people - Media can create perceptions of society which frequently are not accurate:

THE MEDIA

THE MEDIA - Strongly reinforces gender socialization: - What we believe to be male or female comes from media stereotypes - What does the media tell us about our gender roles?

THE MEDIA John Bobbit Lorena Bobbitt

THE MEDIA – Representations in Video Games / Electronic Media

THE MEDIA – Representations:

THE MEDIA - Representations

THE MEDIA - Representations

THE MEDIA - Representations

THE MEDIA - Representations (Image in 1993) (Image in 2013)

THE MEDIA Female representation in video games

THE MEDIA - Violence in the Media: - Major influence on our perception of violence: - Does exposure cause the behavior? - Desensitization

THE MEDIA - Consider: Entertainment becoming based on increasing levels of “shades of grey” - Questionable morals, ethics and characters the new norm for modern television

THE MEDIA - https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=WI 3 hec. GO_04