Soc: ch4

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Chapter 4 on socialization, including primary/secondary socialization, alternation, total institutions, roles and statuses, and theories by Cooley and Mead.

Socialization

The process of learning the norms and values of a group; teaches us how the world works and what we should do in different contexts.

Primary socialization

The first, strongest form of socialization, usually carried out by family; forms the base and is hardest to unlearn.

Secondary socialization

Socialization that occurs outside the family (e.g., school, workplace); ongoing as culture and positions change.

Alternation (resocialization)

Breaking down old norms and replacing them with new ones; occurs in total institutions like boot camps, prisons, or moving to a new culture.

Total institutions

Places where daily life is highly controlled and routines are standardized (e.g., boot camp, prison, mental asylums, nunneries; sometimes college).

Biology vs. socialization

Sociologists emphasize learned behavior and environment; biological explanations explain less variation across individuals.

Roles and statuses

Status: a socially defined position (e.g., student, mother). Role: the expected behaviors attached to that status.

Ascribed status

A status given at birth or without personal effort (not earned).

Achieved status

A status earned through one’s actions or choices.

Role set

All the different roles attached to a single status; each requirement of the job or position.

Cooley’s Looking-Glass Self

Idea that the self develops through social interaction by imagining how others perceive us; three stages; argued that manipulating others helps unlock the social self.

Looking-Glass Self stages

Three stages: (1) imagining how we appear to others, (2) interpreting others’ judgments, (3) experiencing pride or shame based on those interpretations.

Mead’s social self

Self develops through language and social interaction; I and Me work together to form the social self; language enables this process.

I and Me

I: spontaneous, creative aspect of self; Me: internalized societal expectations; together they form the social self.

Generalized Other

A necessary component in developing the Me; not a stage, but the aggregated attitude of the larger society incorporated into the self.

Mead’s development stages

Pre-play, Play, and Game stages; through these stages, individuals develop the ability to take the Generalized Other into account.

Freud—Id, Ego, Superego

Freud’s structure of personality: Id (primitive drives), Ego (reality), Superego (moral constraints); often in internal conflict.

What is the main purpose of socialization?

To teach individuals the norms and values of a group, instructing them on how the world works and appropriate behaviors in various contexts.

How does primary socialization differ from secondary socialization?

Primary socialization, usually by family, is the initial and strongest form, forming a hard-to-unlearn base, while secondary socialization occurs outside the family (school, work) and is ongoing as culture shifts.

What is alternation, also known as resocialization?

A process of breaking down old norms and replacing them with new ones, often occurring in total institutions or when moving to a new culture.

Name two examples of total institutions.

Boot camps, prisons, mental asylums, or nunneries.

How do sociologists explain individual differences in behavior?

Sociologists primarily emphasize learned behavior and environmental factors, suggesting biological explanations account for less variation across individuals.

Define "status" and "role" in sociology.

A status is a socially defined position (e.g., student), and a role is the set of expected behaviors attached to that status.

What is the difference between an ascribed status and an achieved status?

An ascribed status is given at birth or involuntarily (not earned), while an achieved status is earned through one’s actions or choices.

Give an example of an ascribed status and an achieved status.

An ascribed status could be "male" or "daughter"; an achieved status could be "doctor" or "graduate."

What is a "role set"?

All the different roles or expected behaviors attached to a single status, representing each requirement or aspect of that position.

According to Cooley, how does the self develop?

The self develops through social interaction by imagining how others perceive us, a process known as the "Looking-Glass Self."

What are the three stages of Cooley's Looking-Glass Self?

(1) Imagining how we appear to others, (2) interpreting others’ judgments, and (3) experiencing pride or shame based on those interpretations.

What is the importance of "imagining how others perceive us" in Cooley's theory?

It is the crucial first step that initiates the process of self-development and shapes our interpretation of others' judgments.

How does Mead describe the development of the self?

Mead argues the self develops through language and social interaction, with the "I" and "Me" working together to form the social self, a process enabled by language.

Briefly explain the "I" and "Me" in Mead's theory.

The "I" is the spontaneous, creative, and impulsive aspect of the self, while the "Me" is the internalized societal expectations and attitudes.

What is the "Generalized Other" in Mead's theory?

It is the aggregated attitude of the larger community or society that one internalizes, allowing individuals to anticipate how others in general would react.

Is the Generalized Other a stage in Mead's theory of self-development?

No, it is a necessary component for developing the "Me" and the social self, incorporated into the self as an individual progresses through the developmental stages.

What are Mead's three stages of self-development?

The Pre-play stage, the Play stage, and the Game stage, through which individuals learn to take the role of the Generalized Other.

Name the three components of personality according to Freud.

Id, Ego, and Superego.

What is the primary role of the Id in Freud's theory?

The Id represents primitive, instinctual drives and seeks immediate gratification.

How do the Ego and Superego function in relation to the Id?

The Ego mediates between the Id's desires and reality, while the Superego imposes moral constraints and societal ideals.