The Individual in Society: Socialization

1. The Individual in Society: Socialization The lifelong social experience by which individuals develop their human potential and learn culture

2. What 4 main factors affect the development of personality?

3. Heredity—physical traits, aptitudes, inherited characteristics, biological drives, limits • Parents—parental characteristics, such as age, education, religion, and economic status • Birth order—personalities are shaped by siblings and the order in which we are born • Cultural environment—determines the basic personality types found in a society Sociology -Ms. Blackhurst

4. Heredity: inherited characteristics, biological drives, limits Birth order: Number of siblings and order of birth Factors that Shape Individual Personality Development Cultural environment: basic personality types found in a society Parents: parental characteristics Sociology -Ms. Blackhurst

5. Which is more important in forming who you are? Genetics or Environment?

6. Personality Development: Nature v. Nurture Personality, or a person’s fairly consistent patterns of acting, thinking and feeling, is shaped by both biology (nature) and social experience (nurture) • Nature • Instincts – inherited behavior patterns (ex. the maternal instinct) • Examples of instincts?

7. Personality Development: Nature v. Nurture Personality, or a person’s fairly consistent patterns of acting, thinking and feeling, is shaped by both biology (nature) and social experience (nurture) • Nature • Instincts – inherited behavior patterns • Examples of instincts? • Nurture • To raise, bring up, train or educate • American psychologist John B. Watson believed that all behavior could be learned (nurture) – ex. Little Albert experiments

8. John B. Watson “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors. “I am going beyond my facts and I admit it, but so have…(proof that) they have been doing it for many thousands of years.” (1930)

9. Personality Development: Nature v. Nurture • Personality, or a person’s fairly consistent patterns of acting, thinking and feeling, is shaped by both biology (nature) and social experience (nurture) • Nature • Instincts – inherited behavior patterns (ex. the maternal instinct) • Nurture • To raise, bring up, train or educate • American psychologist John B. Watson believed that all behavior could be learned (nurture) – Ex. Little Albert experiments • Twin studies can be very important in understanding the role of genes and environment in forming an individual

10. A twin study is a kind of genetic study done to determine heritability. The premise is that since identical twins have identical genes, differences between them are solely due to environmental factors. By examining the degree to which twins (especially twins raised apart) are differentiated, a study may determine the extent to which a particular trait is influenced by genes or the environment

11. Separated at birth Before the 1960s, twins offered for adoption were often separated at birth, and brought up by different families. Scientists interested in human behavior are studying these twins. If genes are more important in behavior, then separated twins should have similar personalities, despite their different families. But if environment is more important, then each twin should be more like their adoptive family. In fact, it is neither genes nor environment alone that shape our personalities, but the complex interactions between them.

12. How does isolation in childhood affect personality?

13. Twins separated at birth – a first person account: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gwnzW4jOMI Which is stronger - Nature or Nurture? Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein at age 7.

15. Take out a piece of paper… • Write down your birth order on the left • First born • Middle born • Last born child • Only Child • On the right, write down your current GPA. Fold the paper and pass it up.

16. Nature: Examples of Factors Influencing Personality Development - Birth Order Research indicates that birth order does shape children’s personalities • Only children tend to endure pressure to achieve and excel; they tend to be overactive and socially involved; many are leaders; often worry more • Oldest children tend to share similar traits of only children; likely to be cooperative, cautious, and achievement oriented • Later children tend to be better in social relationships and to be more affectionate, friendly, and creative; often are more sensitive and have a good sense of humor • Can be altered due to variables…

17. Personality Development cont’d… • Research shows that a healthy cultural environment is essential for a child’s full development. • Isolation can have severe consequences such as developmental disabilities (mental, physical, social, and psychological), malnutrition, and death. Sociology -Ms. Blackhurst

18. Nurture: Examples of Factors Influencing Personality Development - Other Influences? • Parents • Child’s first attachment is to mother • Later, both parents serve as role models and shape perception of sex roles and family membership • Culture • A society’s cultural environment may determine which personality traits are emphasized • For example, U.S. culture emphasizes competitiveness and friendliness

19. Understanding how we become who we are: Key Contributors • Much research forms the basis for our understanding of human development • Social Psychological Theories: Processes of socialization • Sigmund Freud (Personality) • Erik Erikson (Stages of Psychosocial Development) • Jean Piaget (Cognitive Development) • Lawrence Kohlberg (Moral Development) • Sociological Theories: Forming our self concept • Charles Horton Cooley (Looking-Glass Self) • George Herbert Mead (Social Behavior)

20. So, how we are socialized, “matters”. What factors, or “agents”, in our society can affect how children are socialized? Take a minute to work on this: Come up with a list of at least 7 factors, or agents, that affect how children are socialized.

21. Does this affect development? Prime Time TV

22. Did this affect your development? Daily Cartoons ca. late 1980s – early 1990s

23. How about this…?

24. Discussion point: Can one who has never been socialized, be…socialized (nurtured)?

25. A Socialization Recap • To review, socialization is the process by which we learn to become members of society • Humans continue the socialization process throughout all stages of life • Childhood (@0-12) • Adolescence (@12-19) • Early and Middle Adulthood (@19-55) • Old Age (@56-71) • Death and Dying (@ 71 – end)

26. A Case for “Nurture” - What ab0ut social isolation? How important is human interaction in development? • Social experience helps to develop personality and other skills key to human interaction. • It is possible to recover from abuse and isolation, but the younger it begins and the older it ends decreases this likelihood. • Ex. May prevent acquisition of language skills • Examples: Victor, Genie, Anna, Isabelle

28. “Because these children have not had experiences which help their brain organize systems to make sense of the world (language, interpersonal relationships, etc.) – the world never makes sense.” From the BBC Series Mindshock Episode: Feral Children

29. What does “resocialization” mean? • Where might resocialization take place? • When might resocialization be necessary?

30. Resocialization: Total Institutions A total institution refers to a setting in which people are isolated from the rest of society and manipulated by an administrative staff • All spheres of daily life are observed by staff • Environment is highly standardized (food, uniforms, activities) • Formal rules and daily schedules dictate activities

31. Resocialization: Total Institutions • Involves 2+ million Americans, who are confined against their will in prison or mental hospitals • The goal of a total institution is resocialization, or radically changing an inmates personality by carefully controlling the environment (Breakdown and Build up) • Break down the inmate’s existing identity (humiliation, degradation, personal loss) • Build up a new self (rewards and punishments) Through this process, a person can become institutionalized (without the capacity for independent living) Sociology -Ms. Blackhurst

32. Is socialization more important during some stages of life than others? Discussion points: Again, is socialization a lifelong process?