D esocialization and Resocialization

1. Desocialization and Resocialization Unit 3: Socialization

2. Socialization After Childhood • Remember: Whenever change occurs in your life, you will learn new behaviors and skills • Learning is important to socialization! • Symbolic Interactionism describes four processes associated with socialization after childhood: • Desocialization • Resocialization • Anticipatory Socialization • Reference Groups

3. Desocialization • Desocialization: the process by which people give up old norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors • Total institutions: places where residents are separated from the rest of society • Mental hospitals • Cults • Prisons

4. Desocialization • In total institutions, people are not free to manage their own lives  controlled and manipulated by those in charge • The end result is to permanently change the residents of these institutions • This is accomplished in several ways: • Replacing personal items with standard-issue items • Serial numbers  no names • Loss of privacy

5. Resocialization • Once the self-concept has been broken down through desocialization, resocialization can begin • Resocialization: the process in which people adopt new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors

6. Resocialization • Those in charge of the institution (using a system of rewards and punishments) attempt to give residents new self-concepts • Rewards: extra food, special privileges, periods of privacy • Punishments: shaming, loss of special privileges, physical punishment, physical isolation

7. Anticipatory Socialization • Anticipatory socialization: the process of preparing (in advance) for new norms, values, attitudes, and behaviors • It involves voluntary change • Usually occurs in people who are moving from one stage of their life to another • Examples?