Mingxi Zhong

Prof. Mozzini
Sociology 1
3 July 2016
1. Twins studies reflects even if identical twins inherit the same genes from their parents, they grow
up in different physical environment, their behaviors, habits, personalities and the ways of
thinking will walk in different directions. One persons characteristic is affected by acquired
factors, and their natural genes cannot decide what their future look like. I looked news
previously which told the twins are divided due to kidnapping. One of child is bought and lived
in the rural area, another one live with parent in the city. Through reporters research, they have
living habits and beliefs. The most of identical twins always live together, and certainly they
have more same features, but people still can find various tiny differences between them.
2. The self means people fell who they are or what they look like only depends on their own
thoughts, and it is different from how others view them. According to Charles Horton Cooley, it
consists of three phrases. At first, people consider who they are in others eyes. After that, they
imagine if they behave in a certain way, how others react or assess them, or what they are
expected to do. They decide how to change themselves depend on others opinions and judgments
in the end. Hence, people do not live alone in the society, and they change themselves in order to
interact or communicate smoothly with others around them. Base on George Herbert Meads
view, I is people show themselves naturally, and it does not refer to others reactions.
Otherwise, me is they show themselves after they are influenced by the society. Significant
others refer to someone has close relationship with another one or has rich experiences to help
others improve, such as parents, husband. People is shaped by others around them generally,

since they usually get along with close persons and accept their suggestions subconsciously.
Meads three stages of self-development indicate how children are affected by people around
them. The first one is the preparatory stage which means children try to imitate others behaviors
for the first three years of their life. If their mother speaks words repeatedly, children can learn
the how to pronounce words gradually by imitation. Secondly, the play stage means between
three and five years old, children start to realize what someones actions represent, like the cook
can cook meals. The third one is the game stage which means they realize functions of different
social roles or groups in society and why people work with others from six to nice years old.
3. The dramaturgical approach points out everyones behaviors can be regarded as performance of
actors in a drama, and how someone behaves in the daily life that will depend on time, place and
people around them. Erving Goffman views social interaction through front stage and back stage.
He states people pay attention on how others look at them to decide what they should do on the
front stage. For example, people usually wear suitable outfits or do make-up when they go to
school or workplace, since they believe others might comment them. Otherwise, people show
more natural behaviors when they think nobody cares about what they do on the back stage. Like
someone only remove make-up and lay on the couch at home, as nobody lives with them
together. Goffmans impression management illustrates people try to show behaviors that can
stand for the best self, and which are the best image that want to show decides others attitudes.
People observe others reactions and consider how to leave good impression. Besides, they also
take efforts on explaining mistakes to maintain their good images and try to make others trust
their abilities or nice attitudes, or avoid others who feel disappointed or embarrassed, which
expresses the face to face work.

4. Different social groups and institution, such as families, schools, workplaces or religions, push
the process of persons socialization and help people develop upon society by frequent
interaction. Families give everyone such deep and essential influences, as people stay with
family members for the longest time from birth to the day that they become adults. Moreover,
schools provide a place that make the peers distinguish the differences between girls and boys,
and produce gender stereotypies. As the large numbers of teenagers are always active in schools
and they interact with each other easily. They will learn like most boys are short-hair or good at
sports, and how to take advantages of different genders and improve cooperation between men
and women. The gender differences will guide people grow up, avoid force themselves changing,
and learn how they are expected to do. Besides, technology can enhance peoples socialization
because it brings conveniences of communication. People do not have to meet others in reality,
and they can communicate with others, learn other cultures or the ways of thinking by social
media platforms. Someone who feel embarrassed to social activities, and they still have chances
to socialize by technology.
5. Total institutions look like a micro society, blocks communication with outside world, people do
not free to satisfied their own needs and is controlled by an institution, such as a prison. Erving
Goffman raise four traits of total institution. The first one is everyone lives in the same places
and is managed by the same organization. The next one is everyone is treated in same conditions
by the institution. The third one is everyone is required to execute the same work by the
organization and restrained by same rules strictly. Finally, people who is executed to centralized
management do anything, which all help the organization achieve goals that are set by
themselves. The purpose of the degradation ceremony is depriving someones freedom, selfesteem, other properties or anything that can represent themselves, and make them adapt new

rules and lifestyle. Who they are become unimportant, and their private needs are not satisfied
anymore.
6. The common sense is society should provide conveniences and benefits to the old people, and
the youth are encouraged to respect and take care of them as well. accompany with the age
growth, some old people cannot keep their general abilities to care for themselves, and then they
probably choose to stay in nursing home. After that, the problem that living qualities decrease
should be faced due to lack social activities, include some retired people. There are two theories
that explain what the relationships between the senior and society. Disengagement theory means
the senior cannot avoid to the generation gap appears, reduce socialization, and feel disconnected
from society. Activity theory express the opposite perspective that the elders ought to improve
living qualities through working, participating communitys activities and communicating with
more people in society, and they do not give up more social, healthy and active lifestyle. Perhaps
the social organizations or institutions cannot solve the problem that the old feel disconnected
from society, and it is difficult for some countries to deal with the problems of aging population.
They only appear for the youth who can talk with the old and share experiences more. They
should encourage the old people still work and attend social activities. Government is supposed
to provide more relative policies, such as offering more retirement pension or investing facilities
for the elders, to avoid they feel they are burden for society.