What is socialization and why is it important for humans?

Socialization is the process through which people learn the language, norms, values, behaviors and other aspects of culture that a particular society views as acceptable. It is important for humans because it allows us to learn about our culture and it contributes to our personality. What is anticipatory socialization? What is one example of this? Anticipatory socialization is the process when non-group members learn to take on the values and standards of groups that they aspire to join, so as to ease their entry into the group and help them interact competently once they have been accepted by it. A police officer that is about to begin working the night shift will adjust his sleeping pattern in advance. Describe Mead’s three Stages of Self. What ages does each typically occur at? What activity might a child do in each of the stages? It begins with the prepatory stage; children begin to imitate the people that surround them from ages one to three. The play stage comes next and the child will pretend to be roes like astronauts or they might imitate their pets from ages three to four. Finally the child begins the game stage were it will understand the social positions when they play. This begins around the age of eight and nine. Discuss Cooley’s looking-glass self.

What are the three stages in this theory? Cooley’s looking-glass self is the process in which someone defines themselves. It starts by them imagining how they appear to others then how others will judge them and finally their emotions about it. What happens to children who grow up in extreme isolation? What does this tell us about socialization? Children who grow up in extreme isolation will lack the ability to socialize like most people. It tells us that if we don’t learn to socialize early on then our social skills will suffer in the future.Critical Thinking Questions Describe the nature vs. nurture debate. Which do you think has a greater influence on humans—nature or nurture? The nature vs. nurture debate is whether our behaviors, personalities, and characteristics are due to our biological makeup or our environment. I believe nurture has a greater influence on people because we surround ourselves with peers in school changing how we act by taking influence from them. Which of the agents of socialization do you think is most important to teaching culture?

Why? I believe family is the most important to teach culture out of the agents of socialization because they know more and can give experiences that they have gone through. They could also have a different view on culture as opposed to a school’s view. Discuss one way that your family helped to socialize you to your culture’s norms or values. Who was involved? What did you learn? One way that my family helped to socialize me to my culture’s norms and values was by making me hang out with other kids. Both my parents urged me to interact with others so that I could learn different things. I learned that everybody has a different view on culture and that opinions can differ. Cooley argues that our self develops through interactions and our impressions about how other people see us. Do you think that he is correct? Why or why not? I do think our self develops through interactions and our impressions about how others see us because we interact with people everyday and over time that will change the way we act naturally.

Psychology We also act differently if we see that something we’re doing is frowned upon by our culture. Sociologists argue that we internalize some norms so that we feel guilty or “icky” if we break those norms. What is an example from your own life of a norm that you’ve internalized? Why do you think you’ve internalized this norm? (Think about rules or behaviors that you’d feel guilty breaking or things that you can’t imagine doing because they would be really bad or gross to help you find an example). An example of a norm that I’ve internalized would be showering everyday. I’ve internalized this norm because I do it every morning and it doesn’t feel right leaving the house without doing it.