Understanding Socialization: Key Concepts and Theories

What is Socialization?

Socialization is the ongoing process by which we develop our sense of self and learn the ways of society.

Internalization

Internalization is the process by which people take in the values and norms that the agents of socialization are trying to instill.

Social Groups

Groups consist of two or more people who share an identity, feel a sense of belonging, and interact with each other. We can distinguish between:

• In-group: A group you belong to.
• Out-group: A group you do not belong to.

The Importance of Social Contact

Close contact with others is critical to our development. Strong social ties are linked to well-being, while social isolation is detrimental to humans. "Feral" children are an example of the negative effects of extreme social isolation.

Stages of Socialization

• Primary Socialization

  Involves language acquisition, stimulus, and basic rules for behavior. It primarily relies on family, beliefs, and traditions.

• Secondary Socialization

  Involves reasoning, logic, reading, writing, and problem-solving. It relies on schools and individuals outside the family, instilling values and critical thinking.

Agents of Socialization

Agents of socialization are the entities that shape our sense of self and teach us about belonging to a group. These include:

• Family
• Education
• Peers
• Mass media
• Marketing

Mead's Theory of Role-Taking

According to George Herbert Mead, we learn by taking the role of the other, which is key to self-awareness. This process unfolds in stages:

• Preparatory Stage (Under 2 years)

  Babies haven't yet developed the cognitive skills to role-take. They mimic and imitate agents of socialization and learn to function symbolically through language and naming.

• Play Stage (2-6 years)

  Play is a spontaneous activity, free from rules. Significant others, people or characters important to an individual, greatly influence and motivate behavior.

• Game Stage (7+ years)

  Games are structured activities with rules, involving more than one person. The generalized other, a system of expectations transcending participating individuals, becomes incorporated into a person's sense of self through interactions.

The "I" and the "Me"

Mead proposed two parts of the self:

• The "I": The first version of self we come to know.
• The "Me": The distinct, social self that is perceived by others.

The Looking-Glass Self

The looking-glass self is a process in which our sense of self develops through these steps:

1. We imagine how we appear to others.
2. We imagine the judgments others make about us.
3. We react to those perceived judgments and create our self-identity.

Resocialization

Resocialization is the process of replacing previously learned norms and values with new ones as part of a transition in life.

Social Statuses

• Ascribed Status: A status that is inborn, usually difficult or impossible to change.
• Achieved Status: A status earned through individual effort or imposed by others.
• Master Status: A status that is always relevant and affects all other statuses we possess.

Roles and Role Dynamics

• Role: The set of behaviors expected of someone because of their status.
• Role Set: All the roles related to a given social status.
• Role Performance: The behavior of the person occupying a role.
• Role Strain: Opposing or conflicting expectations associated with a single role.
• Role Conflict: When the expectations of two or more roles contradict each other.

Dramaturgy: Social Interaction as Theater

Dramaturgy views social interaction as if it were a theater, with people as actors performing roles. Key concepts include:

• Front Stage: Where we act in expected ways, maintaining face. Expectations are related to roles.
• Back Stage: Where we can let our guard down and act in ways that aren't acceptable on the front stage. We make a huge effort to conceal it from the audience.
• Impression Management: The effort to produce an image that you want others to see and believe.
• Performance Disruption: Events that challenge the impression produced by the performance, disrupting the interaction, challenging the social units involved, and potentially undermining the ego.
• Scripts: What actors follow when performing on the front stage. Scripts provide frameworks and guide us during interactions.