Sociology Chapter 4

_________ is the single most significant agent of socialization in all societies.

-family -it's the original group we belong to -where early emotional/social bonds are created, language learned, where we first internalize the norms and values of our society -primary socialization occurs in family -ex. we learn gender roles by seeing what mom, dad, sister, brother are expected to do and convert that into general rules about gender in society -socialization differs by family -this can be due to ethnic, class, religion, equation, etc that influence kids -family can change over time; younger kids may be raised different than older ones -not all aspects of socialization are deliberate; some are unintentional -family is so impactful b/c young kids have limited outside contact/ few other influences -where a family is located will affect family members -childhood socialization also takes place in the neighborhoods/communities we live in (can affect health, education, etc)

Perhaps even more demonstrative of the importance of socialization are cases of _____________

-feral children: in myths and rare real-world cases, children who have had little human contact and may have lives in social isolation from a young age -infants exhibit almost none of the learned behaviors that characterize human beings; even instincts for food, shelter -babies do have innate capacities but can fully develop as human beings only through contact with others

According to Freud's theory (psychosexual stages of development), a child passes through the...

-first three stages of development b/t one-five -most people don't remember but this theory says it sets the stage for the rest of one's adult life -the last stage of development begins at twelve, but few successfully complete this final transition to maturity -sometimes the transitions through the first three stages are not completely successful either, so that people may find themselves stuck, or "fixated," at an earlier stage

How do we refer to "I" versus "me"?

-"I" is the subject component- the experience of a creative part of ourselves, less socialized -"me" is the object component- the experience of a norm-abiding, conforming part of ourselves, more socialized, more reliant on others -these two components are inseparable and untied to form a single self -it is the process of recognizing the dual nature of the self, taking the role of the particular other, and seeing the perspective of the generalized other that Mead suggested leads to development of the self

If it is culture and society that make us human, what role does our genetic makeup play?

-Aren't we born with certain instincts? -These are questions posed in the nature vs nurture debate

Why did sociobiology become a controversial topic?

-Edward O. Wilson's Sociobiology: The New Synthesis -many sociologists criticized it, seeing it as an example of genetic determinism since Wilson came down squarely on the nature side -he proposed genes play far greater role in human behavior than social or cultural factors

Emotions and Personality

-Individuals sometimes react very differently—what makes one person laugh may make another cry. It would seem, then, that our emotions are the one thing about our lives that aren't dictated by society -our emotions aren't fully determined by society but they are indeed social; we respond individually but there are social patterns in our emotional responses

What is human nature?

-What is the thing about us that is unique and irreducible, that we all have in common and that separates us from other creatures? -From sociology perspective, culture and society are what make us human -These things that we have created also make us who we are -We have to learn the meaning we give to food, housing, sex, and everything else, and society is the teacher

Socialization is a twofold process. It includes the process by which

-a society, culture, or group teaches individuals to become functioning members, and the process by which individuals learn and internalize the values and norms of the group

We also make claims about who we are in our interactions. These claims can be either...

-accepted or contradicted by others which can make things easier or harder for our self-image -often, other support the selves we project -another way we support the selves that people present is to allow them to save face- to prevent them from realizing that they've done something embarrassing -Goffman called this cooling the mark out

Adult Socialization

-adults are by no means completely socialized -Life is continually presenting us with new situations and new roles with unfamiliar norms and values. We are constantly learning and adjusting to new conditions over the life course and thereby participating in secondary socialization. -ex. college teaches you about behavior expected in your profession, but after getting a job you will learn more expectations -you also learn/socialize in new life circumstances like marry, divorce, parent, retired- which require modifying attitudes/behaviors

Since our sense of self is shaped by social interaction, we should now turn our attention to the socializing forces that have the most significant impact on our lives. These forces, called...

-agents of socialization: social groups, institutions, and individuals (especially the family, schools, peers, and the mass media) that provide structured situations in which socialization takes place)

Could Genie reverse the effects of extreme social isolation?

-at first she made rapid progress with sign language and nonverbal communication -she also learned to vocalize, gaining some social skills, and forming relationships with the researchers -however, funding was lost and she was placed in foster homes where she experienced abuse -she lost her capacity for speech

Which side of the nature-nurture debate is right?

-both -genetics, or nature, play a role in who we are: research shows that high levels of testosterone contribute to stereotypically masculine traits such as aggressiveness and competitiveness. However, facing a competitive challenge causes testosterone levels to rise -so, is it the hormone that makes us competitive, or is it competition that stimulates hormone production?

What is the game stage?

-children's self-awareness increases through a process Mead described using the example of games -early school years children play in organized games where they follow the rules of the game which means they take into account the roles of all the other players -Mead called this overview the perspective of the generalized other -thus, children begin to understand the set of standards common to a social group (their playmates) and to see themselves from other's viewpoints

Id

-composed of biological drives -source of instinctive, psychic energy -main goal is achieve pleasure and avoid pain which makes the id a selfish and unrealistic part of the mind -ex. although you know that hard work and dedication are necessary for your advancement, the id may urge you to slack off instead, maybe have a few (or even many) drinks to help you deal with all that workplace stress

Superego

-composed of two components: the conscience and the ego-ideal -the conscience keeps us from engaging in socially undesirable behavior -the ego-ideal upholds our vision of who we believe we should ideally be

Perhaps Freud's greatest contribution to understanding the self is his idea of the...

-conscious mind (featured in The Interpretation of Dreams) -believed that the conscious level of awareness is tip of the iceberg and below the surface is greater area of the mind, the subconscious and the unconscious. -proposed that this unconscious energy is the source of conscious thoughts and behavior. -ex. the unconscious urge to slay one's rivals may manifest itself in a conscious decision to work harder at the office in order to outshine a competitive co-worker.

Most sociological perspectives on interaction, for example, focus on interactions that occur in ______

-copresence: face-to-face interaction or being in the presence of others -however, more and more we find ourselves in situations outside physical copresence, aided by rapidly developing technologies -how do these ways of technological interaction create new types of social identities

Ego

-deals with the real world -operates on reason and helps to mediate the demands of both the id and the superego -the ego is the part of the self that says "Okay, this time the other guy got the job, but if I keep trying, I'm bound to get that promotion eventually."

In Civilization and its Discontents, what were the two main impulses Freud spoke of?

-eros: the libido or life instinct -thanatos: aggression or the death instinct

George Herbert Mead

-expanded Cooley's ideas into symbolic interactionism -believed the self is created through social interaction -believed this process starts in childhood; that children develop sense of self when learn language -gaining language skills coincides with the growth of mental capacities including the ability to think of ourselves as separate and distinct and to see ourselves in relationship to others

Peers

-groups of people about the same age/similar characteristics -peers can be schools friends, neighbors, team mates -as kids get older peers become more important than parents as agents of socialization; as peer influence increase, parental influence decreases -While the family still has the most long-lasting influence on an individual, it is peers who have the most intense and immediate effect on one another. -By adolescence, young people spend more time with their peers than with their parents or anyone else -allows independence from adult control -tend to form peer subcultures centered on their own interest (games, sports) -peer groups can also be painful like needing to fit in -some will do anything to fit in -peer pressure was predicator of adolescents participation in unsafe sex, drugs -adolescent drinking is most influenced by the friends of a teen's partner than by their own friends -peer pressure can also produce beneficial outcomes

The front makes a big difference in how we...

-how we perceive and interact with the people we encounter there -ex. students/teachers know how to interact in classroom but other venues confuse us; so we often don't know how to behave b/c the old classroom scripts don't work

According to Freud, the mind consists of three interrelated systems...

-id -ego -superego -each of these systems serves a different mental or emotional function, yet they all work together to keep the individual a more or less healthy state of balance

We experience some kind of feeling about ourselves based on our perception of other people's judgements...

-if we imagine they think of us as competent, we may feel pride -if we think they consider us inadequate, we may feel shame -so, we respond to the judgements that we believe others make about us, without really knowing for sure what they think and we're not always right -we may draw wildly unrealistic conclusions, but it is these perceptions, not reality that determine the feelings we have about ourselves

As in the theater, we use certain tools to aid in our impression management. The front is...

-in the dramaturgical perspective, the setting or scene of performances that helps establish the definition of the situation -ex. classroom for teaching or bar for drinking

Socialization thus works on both an

-individual and a social level: We learn our society's way of life and make it our own. Socialization accomplishes two main goals. 1) it teaches members the skills necessary to satisfy basic human needs and to defend themselves against danger, thus ensuring that society itself will continue to exist. 2)socialization teaches individuals the norms, values, and beliefs associated with their culture and provides ways to ensure that members adhere to their shared way of life

To live successfully in human community, we must find socially acceptable ways of channeling these ___________.

-instincts -we can't act out our sexual or aggressive impulses without harming ourselves/others -raw/primitive drives of the individual must be managed -to live in a civilized society means agreeing to norms that infringe on personal freedoms to protect the group; we give up some satisfaction of acting on instinct to gain security in society

Goffman looked at how we define situations _______-- not just ________

-interactionally--not just cognitively within our own heads but also in interaction with others

Media

-media's role as one of the most significant sources of socialization is somewhat recent -some sociologists even say media may have usurped family functions in teaching basic norms/values -ex. Fiji; culture promoted robust body, but western tv affected Fijian girls; eating disorders jumped; dieting/dissatisfaction with weight were prevalent

Charles Cooley

-member of Chicago School of sociology -devised a way to conceptualize how individuals gain a sense of self -"Each to each a looking-glass, reflects the other that doth pass" -called in the looking-glass self

We imagine how we look to others...

-not just in a physical sense, but how we present ourselves -ex. we imagine that others find us friendly, funny. the idea we have of ourselves is important in regard to significant others. Whether they are parents, bosses, friends, partners, we care about how we look to these people

By taking the perspective of the generalized other, children are able to see themselves as _______

-objects -they gradually learn to internalize the expectations of the generalized other for themselves and to evaluate their own behavior -this is the beginning of understanding the attitudes and expectations of society as a whole

Nature Side

-often sociobiologists, some psychologists, and others in the natural science: argue that behavioral traits can be explained by genetics

Having a sense of __________ is perhaps the most fundamental of all human experiences.

-one's self -when Rene Descartes said "I think, therefore I am" he was expressing this basic fact- that we possess a consciousness about ourselves

In setting out general expectations for behavior, roles help shape

-our actions in ways that may come to define us to ourselves and others -ex. we describe ourselves based on our personality traits: i am a nurturer, competitive, etc. -these traits are often the same as role expectations attached to various statuses like parent, athlete -we play a number of roles; when a person can play many different roles it can enhance their sense of self -but it's not always easy

The superego develops as a result of what?

-parental guidance, particularly in the form of the rewards and punishments we receive as children -It inhibits the urges of the id and encourages the ego to find morally acceptable forms of behavior. So the superego helps suppress the urge to kill your competitor and keeps you working toward getting that raise in socially acceptable ways.

According to Mead what are the stages of developing our self (in childhood)?

-preparatory stage -play stage -game stage

For Goffman, the key to understanding these nuances in impression management is recognizing that we ...

-present different selves in different situations, and the responses of others to those selves continually shape and mold our definitions of situation and self -we say that the self is a social construction (the process by which a concept or practice is created and maintained by participants who collectively agree that it exists) -the self is something created in interaction with others that also participate in agreeing to the meaning of that self as it is presented in the situation

Freud also proposed that between infancy and adulthood, the personality passes through four distinct

-psychosexual stages of development -four distinct stages of the development of the self b/t birth and adulthood, according to Freud; personality quirks are a result of being fixated, or stuck, at any stage -each stage is associated with a different erogenous zone

Can expressions given off help us understand people's meaning?

-reading meaning in others' expressions of behavior requires caution -some may deliberately say things to hide how they really feel, so we tend to think we get more real insight from expressions given off b/c we believe them to be unintended -but expressions given off can be manipulated too -it is not just what you say but how you say it that creates meaning; believed everyday actors were sincere -Goffman believed we work at controlling the impressions others have of us; called impression management

Online interactions allow us to contain and reduce __________

-risks to self -online, we can control when, where, how we communicate; meaning we can keep people at arm's length which allows us to perform a self that may or may not correspond to who we are in real life -we can take less risks in terms of forging intimate bonds online and experience less depth in our relationships -however, tech can also be good such as teens getting together online with friends to escape pressure from adults

Schools

-school is the first significant experience for kids away from home -helps them become less dependent on family and provide other social groups -kids learn here that they will be judged on behavior/academic performance -they learn not only formal subject but hidden curriculum -socialization from teachers/students can occur simultaneously with what they learn from family -parents worry about the moral standing of teachers since they are such important roles -schools have increasing responsibilities to deal with issues that used to be taught at home- sex, violence, drugs

Freud's Civilization and its Discontents

-showed how the psychological makeup of the individual helps to create social order, or civilization, while at the same time being constrained by society's structures and demands, causing the person to become discontent - he focused on the subconscious drives or instincts of the individual (he referred to two main impulses)

What about sociobiology now?

-since Wilson's time, advancement occurred in gene research which emerged a new generation of sociologist's who try to unite genetics and sociology in nuanced ways -there is now an appreciation of how our social and environmental context can significantly alter the way a gene expresses itself -researchers call their work genetically informed sociology, or more commonly social genomics, sociogenomics

This next generation of trailblazers has helped to establish that genetics are conditioned by...

-social experience and that genes do not work independently of social or cultural factors; rather they work with them -genomic analysis allows researchers to examine key sociology issues using a different lens -studies have examined how outcomes such as educational attainment, risk-taking behaviors, alcoholism, and obesity are the result of a interplay b/t genetics and social factors -Martin showed a link b/t parent's and children's weight not only due to shared genes but lifestyle like missing meals, watching tv, etc. -so we can put an end to nature vs nurture debate as researchers now consider the interaction b/t the two

Nurture Side

-sociologists and others in the social sciences: argue that human behavior is learned and shaped through social interaction

Genetics and Sociology

-sociologists wanted to know how much each side (nature vs nurture) contributes to human behavior -In 2003, the Human Genome Project was completed which identified all the genes constituting human DNA -while geneticists hoped genes could answer human behavior, they found social environment can change genes

Other sociologists who followed Wilson's argument that genes play a larger role in human behavior caused further controversy as they...

-stood in opposition to long-held/embraced sociological models of the self -books like The Bell Curve proposed a genetic basis for IQ that differed by race -often misleading news about genes/behvaior -eventually sociobiology fell out of favor

Erving Goffman

-symbolic interactionist; saw micro-level/face-to-face interaction as building block of society -believed all meaning (and our individual selves) is constructed through interaction

Postmodern theorists claim that the role of ___________ in interaction is one of the primary features of postmodern life.

-technology -they believe social thinkers must arrive at new ways to explain development of self in digital media social world -we are now exposed to more sources and multiple points of view that may shape our sense of self and socialize us in different ways than ever before

So, according to Cooley, how does our concept of self form?

-the social looking glass (the way we see ourselves reflected back from others) together with the feelings we develop as a result of what we imagine they see in us, forms our sense of self -for Cooley, there is no self without society; no individual without other to provide us with our looking glass self-image -we are dependent on what others think of us- or rather what we think they think -we know ourselves through relationships, real or imagined, with others

So, what is the relationship between nature and nurture?

-there is a complex relationship b/t nature and nurture -neither one alone is sufficient to explain what makes us human -heredity gives us a basic potential but it is primarily our social environment that determines whether we will realize or fall short of that potential -we are subject to social influences the moment we are born and these influences of social contact happens so gradually and unconsciously, we don't really notice what or how we are learning.

Another dramatic example of resocialization is found in ________

-total institutions : institutions in which individuals are cut off from the rest of society so that they can be controlled and regulated for the purpose of systematically stripping away previous roles and identities in order to create new ones -ex. prisons, cults, mental hospitals -their former identities are ripped away so they can be reformed -ex. military recruits are first given a uniform and new name (cadet), and heads shaved- they lose their individuality to become a new identity: soldier

The psychoanalytic perspective of the self

-usually associated with Sigmund Freud -emphasizes childhood and sexual development as indelible influences on an individual's identity, and in turn how society is upheld through the transformation of human instincts -Freud's ideas are controversial but still compelling for sociologists

We imagine other people's judgement of us...

-we try to picture other's reactions and interpret what they feel -what is their opinion of me -do they think I am lazy, boring, etc.

What can happen to our instincts?

-when instincts are repressed or turned inward, they become the conscience and a source of guilt/neuroses -when instincts are sublimated or turned outward, they are positively transformed -ex. sexual energy can be redirected into creative pursuits (science, culture); aggressive instincts can find outlet in sports, politics, video games

How would you be different if you were born in a different time period or country?

-you would have learned a different language, a different set of everyday skills, and a different set of meanings about how the world works. -your sense of who you are would be radically different b/c of the different social structures and interactions you would encounter

3 Steps of Looking-Glass Self

1)We imagine how we look to others 2) We imagine other people's judgement of us 3)We experience some kind of feeling about ourselves based on our perception of other people's judgements

We can appreciate how important socialization is when we see what happens to people who are deprived of social contact.

Read about Christopher Knight and what social isolation does to people

Feral Child Example

Read about Genie

But just where does this sense of a self come from?

When sociologists address these questions, they look at both the individual and society to find the answer. -they believe the self is created/modified through social interaction over our lifetime

Sociobiology

a branch of science that uses biological and evolutionary explanations for social behavior

Status

a position in a social hierarchy that carries a particular set of expectations -these positions can be formalized: professor, president, parent -parental obligations are written in laws that prohibit neglect/abuse -other statuses are informal like class clown (these statuses are less explicit but still widely recognized) -we have many statuses as we hold positions in multiple social heirarchies at once -some statuses change over lifetime (marital, parental status) -others usually do not (race, gender)

Saturated Self

a postmodern idea that the self is now developed by multiple influences chosen from a wide range of media sources -Kenneth Gergen

Achieved Status

a status earned through individual effort or imposed by others -ex. occupation, hobby, skill; criminal identity, mental illness, drug addiction

Embodied Status

a status generated by physical characteristics -ex. beauty, disability

Ascribed Status

a status that is inborn; usually difficult or impossible to change -ex. gender/race

Define the id, ego, and superego

according to Freud, the three interrelated parts that make up the mind: the id consists of basic inborn drives that are the source of instinctive psychic energy; the ego is the realist aspect of the mind that balances the forces of the ide and the superego; the superego has two components (the conscious and the ego-ideal) and represents the internalized demands of society

Definition of the Situation

an agreement with others about "what is going on" in a given circumstance; this consensus allows us to coordinate our actions with those of others and realize goals

Dramaturgy

an approach pioneered by Erving Goffman in which social life is analyzed in terms of its similarities to theatrical performance

Cooling the Mark Out

behaviors that help others to save face or avoid embarrassment, often referred to as civility or tact -ex. professor makes mistake but you let it pass b/c you know what they meant -but there are situations in which the selves we project are contested: ex. telling the professor he has spinach teeth which undermines his authority; if you embarrass him he no longer has as much power

Thomas Theorem

classic formulation of the way individuals determine reality, whereby "if people define situations as real, they are real in their consequences" -W.I. Thomas -b/c we encounter ambiguous situations every day, many meanings are possible. The way we define each situation, then, becomes reality -ex. you see woman slap man. this could be fight, joke, he passed out. each definition leads to different consequences: intervene, call police, ignore, laugh -each definition of the situation lends itself to a different approach, and the consequences are real

Role-Taking Emotions

emotions such as sympathy, embarrassment, or shame that require that we assume the perspective of another person or group and respond accordingly

Role Strain

experienced when there are contradictory expectations within one role -as a parent, Duckworth is expected to be present which requires her to be away from Washington

Role Conflict

experienced when we occupy two or more roles with contradictory expectations -ex. Duckworth's roles as a senator was incompatible with role as mother

Expressions Given

expressions that are intentional and usually verbal, such as utterances -most of our speech falls into this category -we usually say what we mean, unless in extreme emotional responses like fear, pain

Stereotyping

judging others based on preconceived generalizations about groups or categories of people -this is looked at as negative or destructive -but stereotyping is unavoidable

All statuses influence how others see and respond to us. However, some ascribed, embodied, or achieved statuses take on the power of what sociologists call a...

master status: a status that is always relevant and affects all other statuses we possess -master statuses carry expectations that may blind people to our personalities -ex. people make assumption about women, Asians, doctors and may judge them according to those expectations rather than actual atrributes

Feeling Rules

norms regarding the expression and display of emotions; expectations about the acceptable or desirable feelings in a given situation -ex. boys don't cry or no laughing at funerals

Expressions Given Off

observable expressions that can be either intended or unintended and are usually nonverbal -like the eye roll and the nod are typically nonverbal but observable and may be intended or unintended -facial expressions, mannerisms, body language, and styles of dress are important indicators to others about the definition of the situation

Oral Fixation Anal Retentive

oral fixation: this person, thought to be stuck in the first stage of development, might smoke, overeat, or be verbally aggressive anal retentive: a neatnik, tightwad, or control freak- is thought to be stuck in the second stage -these personality traits, rooted in early childhood (according to Freud), appear as "hang-ups" in the adult

Expressions of Behavior

small actions such as an eye roll or head nod that serve as an interactional tool to help project our definition of the situation to others

Agency

the ability of the individual to act freely and independently

Region

the context in which the performance takes place, including location, decor, and props -the specific social setting provides more elements that help establish the boundaries of the interactional context ex. carry briefcase to bar but not beer to classroom

Impression Management

the effort to control the impressions we make on others so that they form a desired view of us and the situation; the use of self-presentation and performance tactics -like actors on stage; we play our parts and use all out communicative resources (verbal and nonverbal) to present a particular impression to others -we do or don't do things to give the impression we want others to have of us

Preparatory Stage

the first stage in Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children mimic or imitate others -children under 3 lack developed self, so they can't distinguish themselves from others -these kids begin the development process by imitating others around them (making faces, playing patty-cake) without fully understanding the meaning of their behavior

Dual Nature of the Self

the idea that we experience the self as both subject and object, the "I" and the "me" -Mead recognized this; also called dialectical

Self

the individual's conscious, reflexive experience of a personal identity separate and distinct from others -we can be proud of ourselves, change ourselves; we can think of ourselves as if we were more than one being and see ourselves from the pov of an observer -our thoughts/feelings emanate both from and toward ourselves; this is how we come to "know" ourselves

Looking-glass Self

the notion that the self develops through our perception of others' evaluations and appraisals of us -Cooley believed that we all act like mirrors to each other, reflecting back to one another an image of ourselves

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

the ongoing discussion of the respective roles of genetics and socialization in determining individual behaviors and traits

Personal Front

the performance tactics we use to present ourselves to others, including appearance, costume, and manner -"costume" as well as gender, race, age- help establish the definition of the situation as well -ex. a young female professor must work harder to convince people she is a professor b/c we think of them as old/male

Particular or Significant Other

the perspective and expectations of a particular role that a child learns and internalizes

Generalized Other

the perspectives and expectations of a network of others (or of society in general) that a child learns and then takes into account when shaping his or her own behavior

Backstage (or back regions)

the places in which we rehearse and prepare for our performances

Frontstage (or front regions)

the places where we deliver our performances to an audience of others -we behave differently and present different selves frontstage than we do backstage -ex. professor behaved differently while eating breakfast than lecturing

Emotion Work

the process of evoking, suppressing, or otherwise managing feelings to create a publicly observable display of emotion -emotions can be influenced by social institutions such as flight attendants being required to do emotion work by always being happy even if they are not; thereby becoming alienated from their real feelings

Socialization

the process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of our social group, by which we become functioning members of society

Role Exit

the process of leaving a role that we will no longer occupy

Resocialization

the process of replacing previously learned norms and values with new ones as part of a transition in life -often used in adult socialization

Play Stage

the second stage in Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children pretend to play the role of the particular or significant other -after age 3 -pretend to be "mommy," "firefighter," "princess," -this is referred to as taking the role of the particular or significant other -as children learn the behavior associated with being a mother or doctor, they internalize the expectations of those particular others and begin to gain new perspectives in addition to their own -it is also ancipatory socialization as the child might play that role in the future

Role

the set of behaviors expected of someone because of his or her status -Goffman and Turner used the theatrical analogy to describe how roles provide a kind of script, outlining what we are expected to say/do as a result of our position in the social structure -ex. professors expected to be responsible teachers/researchers

Game Stage

the third stage (final) in Mead's theory of the development of self wherein children play organized games and take on the perspective of the generalized other

Hidden Curriculum

values or behaviors that students learn indirectly over the course of their schooling -behavioral traits such as punctuality, neatness, discipline, hard work, competition, and obedience, and even ideologies like racial and gender hegemony