Chapter 4

Socialization
and the
Construction of
Reality
Lecture PowerPoint
W. W. Norton & Company, 2008
Socialization: The Concept
Socialization is the process by which individuals
internalize the values, beliefs, and norms of a given
society and learn to function as a member of that
society.

2 You May Ask Yourself

Copyright 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Primary socialization: becoming human
Much takes place before age 5
Carried out by parents and family
Includes:
Language development
Internalization of norms, values, etc.
Establishing identity (Who am I?)
Human development (Intellectual, Emotional,
Social)
Anticipatory Socialization
Preparing for a role. Examples:
Education
Training or practicing a sport or activity
Choosing a major or career
Internship, training
Engagement
Pregnancy
Resocialization
Drastic form of adult socialization
Changes entire environment, culture, and
possibly self-concept
Moving to foreign country
Being institutionalized or incarcerated
Joining military
Total institution: controls all basics of
everyday life, aimed at resocialization
Theories of Socialization
Charles Horton Cooley: Looking Glass
Self
Self concept emerges from ability to assume
the point of view of others and imagine how
they see us.
I am not what I think I am. I am not what
you think I am. I am what I think you think I
am. (Cooley)
Criticisms: too much emphasis on others

6 You May Ask Yourself

Copyright 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Theories of Socialization
George Herbert Mead: The Other
Infants know only the I
By about one year, we can distinguish between self and
others. (My mom is not me)
By age 3 we can see ourselves from others point of view
(Mom doesnt like it when I hit my brother.)
Late childhood: internalize concept of generalized other
(they= parents, friends, teachers, significant people)
Allows us to apply norms and behaviors learned in specific
situations to new situations
7 You May Ask Yourself
Copyright 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
 Theories of Socialization
Mead stressed the importance of imitation, play, and games
in helping children recognize one another, distinguish
between self and other, and grasp the idea that others can have
multiple roles.

8 You May Ask Yourself

Copyright 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Theories of Socialization
Freud: components of personality
Id: biological impulses, desires. Antisocial,
unconscious. Instant gratification of needs
Ego: Parents teach child that not every need can
be gratified in any way. Child must learn control.
Conscious self plans, thinks, decides.
Superego: Generalized sense of right and wrong
(conscience). Norms and values internalized.
Theories of Socialization
Freud: psychosexual development battle with id
is re-enacted at each stage
Infancy: Oral stage (feeding) - basic trust develops
when caregivers meet babys needs.
Toddlers: Anal stage (toilet training) symbolizes self
control.
Preschool: Phallic stage (discovery of sexuality) child
becomes romantically attracted to opposite sex parent.
Internalizes gender roles (powerful but distant father,
mother as caregiver, nurturer)
Theories of Socialization
Freud: Stages of emotional development
Childhood: latent stage (quiet time)
Adolescence: genital stage (puberty) early
relationship with parents is resolved by healthy
attraction to opposite sex.
Ability to have strong emotional relationships
depends on early experiences.
Criticisms: sexist bias; difficulty of testing
Theories of Socialization
Eric Erikson: psychosocial development
eight stages that span entire lifetime
Based on Freud
Each stage involves a specific conflict
Each must be resolved in order to move on

12 You May Ask Yourself

Copyright 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Eriksons 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development
Eriksons 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development
General criticisms of psychological and stage
theories (Mead, Freud, Erikson)
Too much emphasis on age/stage relationship
and ordering
Tend to be deterministic
individuals not viewed as taking active role in
own development
Socialization viewed as one-way process, not
reciprocal
Ignore societal influences and cultural
variation
Alternative perspectives
Interpretive reproduction (Corsaro)
Children as active contributors to own
development
Takes place within peer culture (collective
process)
Children collectively:
Appropriate knowledge and info from adult world
Interpret it within peer culture
Reproduce and extend adult world
 Alternative perspectives
Interpretive reproduction: Little Chairs
Appropriate knowledge and info from adult world
Preschoolers arrange little chairs in circle and walk around on them.
Interpret it within peer culture
Means of inclusion and exclusion
Follow the leader, invent new patterns
Rebel against adult rules (dont stand on chairs)
Reproduce and extend adult world
Becomes meaningful routine
Defines social reality
Awareness of adult rules (be careful, dont stand on chairs)
Children are actively constructing culture and participating in
own socialization
Alternative perspectives
Goffmans dramaturgical theory
social life as a theatrical performance
roles, scripts, costumes, and sets
front stage: role we project to world, public
back stage: private roles
face: esteem of others, social status
Focuses on scripts, how we know them, what happens if we
dont follow them (breaches)

18 You May Ask Yourself

Copyright 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Interactionists and newer theories
believe in:
The Social Construction of Reality
People give meaning or value to ideas or objects
through social interactions.
Ongoing process that is embedded in our everyday
interactions.
unexpected change in reality can be upsetting, frustrating,
or incomprehensible.
consensus on shared meanings helps society function
smoothly.

19 You May Ask Yourself

Copyright 2008 W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.