What is Socialisation? | Introduction to A-Level Sociology
Summary
TLDRThis introduction to sociology video delves into socialization, the process by which individuals learn societal norms and values. It's facilitated by social institutions like family, education, media, and religion, teaching behaviors through modeling and instruction. The video distinguishes between primary socialization, instilling family-specific norms, and secondary socialization, which conveys universal societal values. It also touches on gender socialization, ethnic background's influence, and subcultural norms. Theoretical perspectives from functionalism, Marxism, and feminism offer varied views on socialization's role in maintaining social order or perpetuating dominance.
Takeaways
- 🌐 Socialization is the process of learning society's norms and values.
- 👪 Primary socialization is usually performed by the family, teaching particularistic norms and values.
- 🏫 Secondary socialization is carried out by other social institutions like education, media, and religion, teaching universal norms and values.
- 👥 We learn social behaviors through modeling and are rewarded or punished for adhering to or deviating from social norms.
- 👶 Gender socialization starts from an early age, with different expectations for boys and girls.
- 🌈 Contemporary society is moving towards gender-neutral socialization, challenging traditional gender roles.
- 🌟 Ethnic background plays a role in socialization, with different cultural norms being passed down through families and reinforced by social institutions.
- 🎭 Subcultural norms and values are learned from peer groups and can be based on various aspects like social class, interests, etc.
- 🔍 Structural theories like functionalism view socialization as positive, helping individuals understand societal norms.
- 🤔 Conflict theories, such as Marxism and feminism, see socialization as a form of social control, perpetuating the norms of dominant groups.
Q & A
What is socialization?
-Socialization is the process through which we learn society's norms and values, including how to behave in different social situations such as greeting people, standing in a queue, or eating with a knife and fork.
What are the social institutions that teach us socialization?
-Social institutions that teach us socialization include our families, the education system, media, and religion.
How do we get rewarded or punished during the socialization process?
-We receive rewards such as praise or social acceptance when we copy behaviors that align with social norms and values. Deviations result in punishments ranging from disapproval to imprisonment.
What is primary socialization?
-Primary socialization is usually performed by the family and teaches us particularistic norms and values, which are specific to our family unit.
Can you provide examples of particularistic norms and values learned through primary socialization?
-Examples include behaviors expected in the home, such as not wearing shoes indoors or not having screens at the dinner table, family events or traditions, and expectations of behavior like bedtimes and curfews.
What is secondary socialization and how is it different from primary socialization?
-Secondary socialization is performed by social institutions other than the family, such as education, media, and religion. It teaches universal norms and values that apply to all members of society, rather than just a specific group.
How does gender socialization differ from other forms of socialization?
-Gender socialization is the process of learning norms and values appropriate to one's gender, often starting from an early age with gender-specific clothing, toys, and books.
What is the current trend in gender socialization?
-In contemporary society, there is a greater emphasis on gender-neutral socialization, such as removing labels on toys and creating books that move away from stereotypical gender roles.
How does socialization vary based on an individual's ethnic background?
-Socialization based on ethnic background involves learning cultural norms around food, interactions, family gatherings, celebrations, and language, which may be reinforced by families, education, religion, and peer groups.
What is subcultural socialization?
-Subcultural socialization is learning norms and values from peer groups that are separate from those of mainstream society. Subcultures can be based on social class, gender, ethnicity, music, film, and other shared interests.
How do structural theories view the process of socialization?
-Structural theories like functionalism, Marxism, and feminism see social institutions as instrumental in socialization, but they have differing views on what types of norms and values people are socialized into.
What is the difference between functionalist and conflict theories' views on socialization?
-Functionalism sees socialization as having a positive effect, helping individuals understand shared norms and values for societal functioning. Conflict theories, such as Marxism and feminism, view it as a form of social control, passing on norms and values of dominant groups to maintain their position in society.
Outlines
🌐 Understanding Socialization
This paragraph introduces the concept of socialization in sociology. Socialization is defined as the process through which individuals learn society's norms and values, and how to behave in various social situations. It is facilitated by social institutions such as family, education, media, and religion. These institutions guide individuals through modeling or direct instruction, reinforcing behaviors with rewards like praise or acceptance, and punishing deviations through formal or informal means. The paragraph also distinguishes between primary socialization, which is family-based and teaches particularistic norms, and secondary socialization, which is performed by other institutions and teaches universal norms applicable to all members of society. Gender socialization is highlighted as a specific type of socialization that teaches gender-appropriate behaviors from an early age, though contemporary society is moving towards more gender-neutral socialization. The paragraph also touches on ethnic socialization, which involves learning cultural norms related to one's ethnic background.
📚 Socialization and Sociological Theories
The second paragraph delves into how sociologists view socialization through different theoretical lenses. Structural theories like functionalism, Marxism, and feminism are mentioned, each with its own perspective on the role of social institutions in socialization. Functionalism sees socialization as positive, helping individuals understand societal norms for effective social functioning. In contrast, conflict theories like Marxism and feminism view socialization as a form of social control, perpetuating the norms and values of dominant groups to maintain their societal position. For Marxists, this means the values of the ruling class, while for feminists, it's the values of patriarchy. The paragraph also mentions how other social institutions and peer groups can reinforce ethnic norms and values. Additionally, it discusses subcultural socialization, where individuals learn the norms and values of a subculture, which can be based on various aspects such as social class, gender, ethnicity, music, film, and shared interests.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Socialization
💡Norms
💡Values
💡Social Institutions
💡Modeling
💡Primary Socialization
💡Secondary Socialization
💡Gender Socialization
💡Ethnic Socialization
💡Subcultural Norms and Values
💡Structural Theories
Highlights
Socialization is the process through which we learn society's norms and values.
Socialization teaches us how to behave in different social situations.
Social institutions such as family, education system, media, and religion guide our social behavior.
Modeling and direct instruction are common methods of socialization.
Rewards and punishments reinforce learned behaviors and values.
Internalizing norms and values enables functioning in society.
Primary socialization is performed by the family and teaches particularistic norms and values.
Secondary socialization teaches universal norms and values applicable to all members of society.
Gender socialization is the process of learning gender-appropriate norms and values.
Contemporary society emphasizes gender-neutral socialization.
Ethnic background influences socialization with unique cultural norms.
Subcultural norms and values are learned from peer groups and shared interests.
Structural theories like functionalism view socialization as positive for societal functioning.
Conflict theories such as Marxism and feminism see socialization as a form of social control.
Marxism associates socialization with passing on norms and values of the elite ruling class.
Feminism links socialization to the perpetuation of patriarchal values.
Socialization is instrumental in maintaining the status quo according to conflict theories.
Transcripts
welcome to this tutor to you
introduction to sociology topic video
looking at socialization
one of the key concepts you need to
learn in sociology is socialization
but what is socialization
socialization is the process through
which we learn society's norms and
values
it's how we learn how to behave in
different social situations for example
how we learn to greet people how we
learn to stand in a queue or how we
learn to eat with a knife and fork
we learn these things and many more
through the process of socialization
and this is taught
to us through the use of social
institutions
what sometimes are referred to as
agencies of socialization
but how are we socialized
these social institutions for example
our families the education system media
and religion
provide us with guidance on how we
should act in different social
situations or what values we should
uphold
this is often done through modelling
such behaviors or through direct
instruction
when we copy those behaviors we receive
rewards
usually in the form of praise or social
acceptance
when we deviate from those norms and
values we are punished either through
formal or informal means
but this can be a broad spectrum from
disapproval of our actions to
imprisonment
eventually we internalize these norms
and values and this enables us to
function in society
there are however different forms of
socialization
primary socialization is usually
performed by the family and this teaches
us particularistic norms and values that
is the norms and values of a specific
group in this case our family
each family unit will pass on their
norms and values to the next generation
and this can include behaviors expected
in the tone for example not wearing
shoes indoors or not having screens at
the dinner table
it can be through family events or
traditions that are unique to your
family how you celebrate birthdays or
holidays may differ from family to
family but will have their own norms it
can also include expectations of
behavior such as bedtimes and curfews
which once you've left the family unit
will no longer apply
it can also be done through customs and
habits
however these particularistic values are
often only applicable in your family
unit and so we also need to learn the
norms and values of wider society
and this is achieved through secondary
socialization and is performed by other
social institutions for example
education the media and religion
and these teachers universal norms and
values those values that apply to all
members of society rather than just a
specific group
for example while being late for an
event in the family may earn you
disapproval of other family members your
family would usually wait for you
in education being late not only means
more formal punishment but it also means
missing out
as it is unlikely the teachers will wait
for late comers to start a lesson
similarly at work if you're late for a
shift everything proceeds without you
universal values are the norms and
values of wider society and they are
what all individuals are measured
against
they are the expectations of everybody
and rarely are there exceptions
another important form of socialization
that you will encounter in your studies
is gender socialization
gender socialization is the process of
learning the norms and values that are
appropriate to your gender this is done
from an early age with boys being
dressed in blue and girls in pink the
separation of boys and girls toys and
books a process described as
canonization
to try and shape individuals into their
gender appropriate roles
over the last 50 years or so this has
become more and more contentious with a
greater emphasis on in contemporary
society on gender neutral socialization
such as removing labels on toys for boys
and girls or creating books that move
away from stereotypical gender roles
such as girls doing domestic work and
boys being unemotional
gender socialization however is an
important concept when looking at the
difference between males and females in
society
socialization can also take different
forms based upon an individual's ethnic
background
different ethnic groups will have
different cultural norms around food
interactions family gatherings
celebrations and language
while this form of socialization may be
carried out by families
other social institutions such as
education religion and peer groups may
reinforce these norms and values
a final form of socialization can be
into subcultural norms and values
a subculture is a group with its own
norms and values that are separate from
those of mainstream society when people
learn these norms of values from their
peer groups
subcultures can be based upon many
different aspects such as social class
gender and ethnicity
but also based upon music film and other
shared interests
so how do sociologists view the process
of socialization
the process of socialization is often
the focus of structural theories like
functionalism marxism and feminism that
see the role of social institutions and
instrumental in the process of
socialization
however they have differing views on
what types of norms and values people
are socialized into
functionality socialization as having a
positive effect on individuals helping
them to understand the value consensus
that is the shared norms and values of
society
in order for them to be a functioning
member of society
on the other hand conflict theories such
as marxism and feminism see the process
of socialization as being a form of
social control
passing on the norms and values of
dominant groups in order to make sure
people do not challenge their position
in society
for marxists these norms and values are
those of the elite the ruling class
for feminists they are the values of
patriarchy that is male-dominated
society
that concludes this tutor to you
introduction to sociology topic video on
socialization
thanks for watching
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