Sociology Exam Review

problems associated with social isolation and maltreatment

-Harry and Margaret Harlow's research on socially isolated rhesus monkeys showed that they experienced detrimental effects as a result of their isolation. When the isolated monkeys were reintroduced to other monkeys, they were fearful or hostile toward the other monkeys. -Isolated Child (Genie) Found in 1970, had been locked in a bedroom alone until age 13. Like Anna, she could not walk erect or feed herself; she was not toilet trained and was underweight. -Neglect, or failure to meet a child's basic needs, is the most common type of child maltreatment. -Neglect occurs when basic needs, including emotional warmth and security, adequate shelter, food, health care, clothing, protection, and education, are not met regardless of cause

the family

Family is considered to be the most important agent of socialization in all societies. -From our infancy onward, our families transmit cultural and social values to us -To a large extent, the family is where we acquire our specific social position in society.

the school

Schools play an enormous role in the socialization process, as the amount of specialized technical and scientific knowledge has expanded rapidly. Schools teach specific knowledge and skills; they also have a profound effect on a child's self-image, beliefs, and values.

agents of socialization

are the persons, groups, or institutions that teach us what we need to know in order to participate in society (values and norms). These are the most pervasive agents of socialization in childhood: the family, the school, peer groups, and the mass media.

peer groups

is a group of people who are linked by common interests, equal social position, and (usually) similar age. -Peer groups function as agents of socialization by contributing to our sense of "belonging" and our feelings of self-worth. -Individuals must earn their acceptance with their peers by meeting the group's demands for a high level of conformity to its own norms, attitudes, speech, and dress codes.

mass media

is composed of organizations that use print, analog electronic, and digital electronic means to communicate with large numbers of people, often at the same time. -The media function to inform us about events, introduce us to a wide variety of people, provide an array of viewpoints on current issues, provide information on products and services, and entertain us.

gender socialzation

is the aspect of socialization that contains specific messages and practices concerning the nature of being female or male in a specific group or society. In some families, gender socialization begins before birth as parents learn the sex of the fetus through ultrasound or amniocentesis. -Sex refers to the biological and anatomical differences between females and males. -Gender refers to the culturally and socially constructed differences between females and males found in the meanings, beliefs, and practicies associetyed with "femininity" and "masculinity". -Gender Roles are specific behaviors and attitudes society establishes for women and men. -Stereotypes are overgeneralizations about the appearance, behavior, or other characteristics of members of particular categories. -Many families purchase color-coded and gender-typed clothes and toys. -Parents may respond differently to boys than to girls by playing with them differently, by assigning them different chores, and by giving them different privileges. -Schools, peer groups, and the media contribute to gender socialization. -From an early age, media, including children's books, television programs, movies, and music, provide subtle and not-so-subtle messages about masculine and feminine behavior.

Socialization

is the lifelong process of social interaction through which individuals acquire a self-identity and the physical, mental, and social skills needed for survival in society. -Socialization is most crucial during childhood because it is essential for survival and human development. -Socialization enables a society to "reproduce" itself by passing its culture from one generation to the next. -Socialization techniques tend to be similar, but the content of socialization varies widely.

primary socialization

the process of learning that begins at birth and occurs in the home and family

secondary socialization

the process of learning that takes place outside the home—in settings such as schools, religious organizations, and the workplace—and helps individuals learn how to act in appropriate ways in various situations