4 stages of socialization - mead

predatory stage - 1

Children are learning about the world, making observations, they are the center of the universe - everyone surrounds them 

• Learning things at a rapid pace, don't have capacity for macro level thought - I is dominant 

• - under 3 years old

play stage - 2

Significant other - specific people who are important in children’s lives and whose views have the greatest impact on the children's self-evaluations - 3-4 yrs old

• Think more complex, ME comes in a little bit, learn to take on simple rules 

• Attitude and roles of people the interact with 

• More receptive to want to follow parents rules - want to pretend to be their mom - can't comprehend that mom has multiple roles

game stage - 3

Generalized other - ability to internalize the attitudes of an entire group or community - 5 yrs - adulthood

• Children start to understand that people have multiple roles - it’s not them who is the center of the universe 

• They have a mom, but mom could also be a nurse 

• Things outside of parents roles that they are supposed to follow 

4 - adult stage

• The individual internalizes the abstract values, attitudes, and expectations of the broader society as a whole.

• They can evaluate their own behavior through the lens of what society expects, completing the formation of the socialized self (the "Me")