Topic 2: Secondary Socialisation

Howard Becker’s Labelling Theory (1963)

Secondary Socialisation

Labelling Theory states that our identity is ‘created’ by others labelling us

• Becker believed this ‘label’ lends to us performing and behaving as we have been labelled.

  • This results in us conforming to others expectations of us

  • e.g If teacher thinks student is very clever, they will treat student as such and student will try harder to fit expectation

  • This is called a self-fulfilling prophecy (teacher assumes they were correct)

• LT can be both positive and negative

  • e.g If teacher has low expectations of student, student will under acheive

  
  PROBLEM: overlooks other factors like Mental Health, Poverty, Inequality

Smith et al.

Peers

Secondary Socialisation

SEA states that peers are highly influential when growing up

• SEA’s study of cyber bullying: 20% of 100 children sample experienced cyber-bullying

• Children experienced negative sanctioning (bitchy comments) if they didn’t conform to norms of youth culture

  • e.g Kids without cool clothes/ certain body type mocked online. This may lead to kids changing looks to fit in

• Girls reported more than boys (different to face-to-face bullying)

  • 1/3 victims didn’t tell anyone - vulnerable youth

PROBLEM: Small sample size

Sherry Turkle

Secondary Socialisation

• Believed that:

  • Increased time on social media is having a negative impact on identity and relationships

  • We are in danger of becoming isolated in the digital world - as a result we are less likely to have strong face-to-face relationships

• Failure to communicate - ‘alone together’: being in the same space but on individual devices - will lead to breakdown of relationships

• Turkle criticizes parents who role model poor behaviour (constantly checking phones & tablets)

PROBLEM: very negative view on social media, ignored positive aspects

Julie Burchill (2000)

Secondary Socialisation

• Criticises head covering for women within Islam, “Some women carry round with them a mobile prison”

• How ideology can teach a set of norms that are not helpful

PROBLEM: Assumption that Islamic women do not want to wear hijab - many women find strength in this

Waddington (1999)
Secondary Socialisation

• Research shows how Canteen Culture (informal police culture - hanging in the station) can help socialise police officers

  • Learn from listening to other officers telling ‘war stories’ and pick up practical advice

  • Experienced officers act as role models to new recruits who modelled themselves upon the behaviour they saq

• Waddington argues that CC helps officers deal with stress, boosts self esteem (heroic nature), sense of ‘mission’

• Found more sinister values - low level racism and homophobia

PROBLEM: this sense of power can be dangerous