Chapter 4

Question 1

Socialization does NOT = Socializing. why?

Answer 1

Socialization: The lifelong process where individuals learn the norms, values, behaviors, and social skills to function in society.

ex: A child learns to say “please” and “thank you” from their parents. This is socialization because the child is being taught societal norms and expected behavior.

Socializing: act of interacting with others, typically in a casual or recreational way.

ex: A group of coworkers goes out for drinks after work.

Question 2

explain “formation of self”

Answer 2

a continued social interaction enables infants to begin developing a self‐image or sense of self.

Question 3

define social environment

Answer 3

an environment that humans are continuously surrounded by where they are shaped and influenced by others.

Question 4

define adaption

Answer 4

adaption is the way that one adjusts the way they act so they can fit in with others while meeting their own needs.
- during adaption you learn about rules – what is right and wrong

Question 5

define the two types of norms

Answer 5

1. perspective norms (what you should do)
   ex: saying please and thank you
2. proscriptive norms (what you shouldn’t do)
   ex: talking loudly in a public library

Question 6

why is socialization an evolutionary process?

Answer 6

• in an environment, a person will act based on their interests and who they are.
• the environment may respond to their behaviour and the person will decide either “yes, I will keep doing that” or “yikes i should not do that”
• the environment can shape a person by encouraging reinforcement or encouraging change.

Question 7

what are the consequences of social isolation?

Answer 7

1. victor was a “Savage in aeyron” who never mastered speech, did not develop emotional bonds with anyone other than his caregivers, and was never seen as a functioning member of society.
2. not knowing you who are or your potential without others’ “approval” ex: not knowing you have great humor without anyone laughing at your jokes.
3. need exposure to loving caregivers to help provide intellectual and emotional development.

Question 8

what is Cooley’s “looking-glass self “ idea of the formation to the self

Answer 8

the idea that when we interact with others, we notice and observe how they react to us. we then judge their reaction which will help us determine feelings of who we are.
- toddlers choose lighter skin dolls than darker skin even if they themselves have darker skin.

Question 9

what is goerge herbet mead’s idea of the formation to the self?

Answer 9

the process where children develop the actions based on whether their parent/s
will approve or disapprove of something: “if I do that, mom/dad will be angry/happy”.
* As they grow up, this “what will mom/dad think” evolves into “what
will people think” (i.e., relying on a generalized other), consciously or subconsciously.

Question 10

define epigenetics

Answer 10

epigenetics is the study of how gene expression (rather than DNA itself) is modified by behaviour and social settings.
- genes and environment influence each other.

Question 11

what is our identity composed of?

Answer 11

• gender/sexuaity
• racialized group
• religion
• family relationship (being a son/daughter, etc)
• disability
• family socioeconomics (rich/poor)
• age
• education
• occupation

Question 12

downside to the process of the formation of self

Answer 12

during our development, if people see or think of us as bad (or stupid) we may believe it)

Question 13

what is the social significance of age?

Answer 13

1. laws that set a minimum age for certain activities. (drinking alcohol)
2. Society defines how individuals of different ages are expected to behave. (adult at 18)
3. To some degree, society organizes people into groups based on age.
4. Subjective age refers to how young or old a person feels compared to their actual age.

Question 14

define age cohort

Answer 14

a category of people born in the same range of years

Question 15

define age roles

Answer 15

The norms and expectations about the behaviourof people in different age cohorts

Question 16

intersection of biography and history: generation

Answer 16

an age cohort that experiences unique things at the beginning of the decade allowing others to create a set of values and identity.
ex: gen z have stronger multitasking skills but shorter attention spans than millenials.
- gen z are connected to the internet especially through snapchat and instagram

Question 17

what are the agents of socialization

Answer 17

• family: parents are big influences on shaping behaviour.
• schools: curriculum helps students to obey to authority.
  -social media: expose individuals to influences that shape their ideas, attitudes, expectations, values, and behaviour.
• peer groups: Important for separating the individual from the family and
  for becoming an adult.

Question 18

what are freud’s contributions to the “self”

Answer 18

• the first to provide a social scientific explanation on hwo the self develops
• noted that infants form a self image when their demands are not met. ex: crying when not being fed.

Question 19

scholars vs freud

Answer 19

schoalrs believed that the self develops naturally whereas freud argued we develop as the self emerges as a result of social interaction.

Question 20

what is mead’s 4 stages of role-taking

Answer 20

1. Imitation Stage: Children mimic others’ actions without understanding their meaning (ages 1-2).
2. Play Stage: Children role-play and begin to understand that different people have different roles (ages 3-6).
3. Game Stage: Children participate in organized games and learn to understand social rules and multiple roles (ages 7+).
4. Generalized Other Stage: Individuals grasp societal norms and expectations and can consider multiple perspectives at once.