Chapter 4 Socialization This Chapter Will Help You: Define and understand the role of socialization Understand and critique the nature/nurture debate in relation to sociology Outline the agents of socialization Compare and contrast primary and secondary socialization Define resocialization Summarize the theoretical approaches to socialization Defining Socialization Socialization involves social learning through social interaction It helps an individual become a capable member of their society It is influenced by our social class, ethnicity, gender, etc. The Influence of Nature Biological Determinism The argument that our behaviour is determined by our genetic makeup Seeks evidence of the biological roots of behaviour Argues that behaviour evolves over time to secure the survival of the species The Influence of Nurture We are products of our environment Our behaviour is the product of social interactions and learning The social environment is crucial to an individual’s socialization Isolation in Non-Human Primates Harlow researched the effects of maternal separation and social isolation in rhesus monkeys Lack of social interaction had significant consequences such as fear or hostility Isolation in Humans – Feral Children Children who are assumed to have been raised by animals The Case of Victor A boy was discovered in a forest in 18th century France He was 11 years old and it was assumed that he had lived alone in the forest for 5 or 6 years A doctor who attempted to socialize him was partially successful He was never able to speak Isolation in Humans – The Case of Anna Anna was discovered in 1932 at the age of 6 She had been locked in a storage room her entire life She had no social skills and could not speak She began to show improvement after her discovery but died at the age of 10 Isolation in Humans – The Case of Genie Genie was discovered at the age of 13 in 1972 She had been locked in a room and tied down from the age of 20 months She was studied and taught by experts at a children’s hospital She acquired some skills but could not fully recover from the isolation and neglect The Turpins – Isolation and Child Abuse The Turpins kept their 13 children locked in dark rooms or chained to their beds The children were severely malnourished and dirty Yet this is the image the parents put out on social media Primary Socialization The learning that occurs in an individual's earliest years It sets the tone for future development It usually occurs in family settings Children learn language, norms, values, beliefs, and social skills Secondary Socialization This is the socialization that occurs past childhood and throughout adulthood It is more limited than primary socialization It has less effect on our self-image Individuals learn specific roles, norms, attitudes, and beliefs for different adult situations Functionalist Approach Social integration: Socialization teaches people how to integrate in ...

1. Chapter 4
Socialization
This Chapter Will Help You:
Define and understand the role of socialization
Understand and critique the nature/nurture debate in relation to
sociology
Outline the agents of socialization
Compare and contrast primary and secondary socialization
Define resocialization
Summarize the theoretical approaches to socialization
Defining Socialization
Socialization involves social learning through social interaction
It helps an individual become a capable member of their society
It is influenced by our social class, ethnicity, gender, etc.
The Influence of Nature
Biological Determinism
The argument that our behaviour is determined by our genetic
makeup
Seeks evidence of the biological roots of behaviour
Argues that behaviour evolves over time to secure the survival
of the species

2. The Influence of Nurture
We are products of our environment
Our behaviour is the product of social interactions and learning
The social environment is crucial to an individual’s
socialization
Isolation in Non-Human Primates
Harlow researched the effects of maternal separation and social
isolation in rhesus monkeys
Lack of social interaction had significant consequences such as
fear or hostility
Isolation in Humans – Feral Children
Children who are assumed to have been raised by animals
The Case of Victor
A boy was discovered in a forest in 18th century France
He was 11 years old and it was assumed that he had lived alone
in the forest for 5 or 6 years
A doctor who attempted to socialize him was partially
successful
He was never able to speak
Isolation in Humans – The Case of Anna
Anna was discovered in 1932 at the age of 6
She had been locked in a storage room her entire life

3. She had no social skills and could not speak
She began to show improvement after her discovery but died at
the age of 10
Isolation in Humans – The Case of Genie
Genie was discovered at the age of 13 in 1972
She had been locked in a room and tied down from the age of 20
months
She was studied and taught by experts at a children’s hospital
She acquired some skills but could not fully recover from the
isolation and neglect
The Turpins – Isolation and Child Abuse
The Turpins kept their 13 children locked in dark rooms or
chained to their beds
The children were severely malnourished and dirty
Yet this is the image the parents put out on social media
Primary Socialization
The learning that occurs in an individual's earliest years
It sets the tone for future development
It usually occurs in family settings
Children learn language, norms, values, beliefs, and social
skills

4. Secondary Socialization
This is the socialization that occurs past childhood and
throughout adulthood
It is more limited than primary socialization
It has less effect on our self-image
Individuals learn specific roles, norms, attitudes, and beliefs for
different adult situations
Functionalist Approach
Social integration:
Socialization teaches people how to integrate into society
Functionalists see socialization as essential for establishing and
reinforcing social rules
We internalize our society’s norms and values
Conflict Theory
Conflict theorists argue that socialization is about power and
control
Primary socialization teaches people (especially less powerful
groups) their “place” in society
Poor people learn to blame themselves for their social position
Ignore structural factors that help the dominant group retain

5. power
Feminism
Feminists argue that patriarchy shapes cultural values and
norms
People are socialized based on their gender and learn a
gendered identity
i.e., girls should “be ladylike” and boys shouldn’t cry
Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionists are interested in how meanings are
taught through socialization
For example, we are taught through socialization what a parent
is “supposed” to do
Symbolic interactionists are also interested in how socialization
influences our sense of self
Symbolic Interactionism - George Herbert Mead
Children develop a sense of self in 3 stages:
Preparatory stage
The child imitates an action without understanding what it
means
Play Stage
The child begins to pretend to take on roles (i.e. parent, teacher,
doctor, etc.)
Game Stage
The child understands their position in a social group

6. Symbolic Interactionism – Charles Horton Cooley
Looking Glass Self
Our self is the result of our social interaction with others
We imagine how we appear to others
We use our interpretation of what others think of us to help
form our self concept
Psychological Approaches – Sigmund Freud
Freud identified 3 elements of the personality:
The id, the ego, and the superego
Freud argued that the ego balances the id and superego
If the id gets too strong, we are likely to break social norms to
follow our own desires
If the superego gets too strong, we follow the rules rigidly and
become too conformist
Psychological Approaches – Jean Piaget
Cognitive development follows four stages (see table 4.2 in the
text):
Sensorimotor
Preoperational
Concrete operational
Formal operational
Piaget argued that social interaction leads children to develop
through the stages of cognitive development
To fully develop a personality, children must interact with
others
Agents of Socialization

7. Agents of socialization are the individuals, groups, and social
institutions that influence our daily lives
These agents help us to become functioning members of society
Agents of Socialization - Families
Across cultures and societies, families are the most important
agents of socialization
Caregivers are responsible for transmitting cultural and social
values to us
We learn about norms, values, beliefs, and social position
Families are not “perfect” socializers for various reasons
Families may also teach us less desirable ideas, like racism,
sexism, classism, or homophobia
Agents of Socialization - Schools
Schools teach us skills that we need to function in society
For example, how to read or do math
Schools also teach the hidden curriculum
Informal rules about our place in society
For example, gendered rules may be emphasized
Agents of Socialization – Schools, cont’d
When we enter school, we are compared to our peers and
evaluated
This may have a deep impact on our self-esteem
Agents of Socialization - Peers
A peer group is a group we are linked to by things like age,

8. social position, and common interests
Peer groups are important to our development of sense of
belonging, identity, and self-esteem
Young people experience peer pressure
The behaviours our peers encourage may differ from what our
caregivers teach us is appropriate
Agents of Socialization – Mass Media
Mass media, like television and the internet, have a big impact
because we encounter these things daily
Social media sites, like Snapchat and Instagram, have changed
how we interact with others
Agents of Socialization – Mass Media, cont’d
The influence of social media sites is significant
Some effects are positive:
Helping students deal with social anxiety around connecting
with peers
Some effects can be negative
Bullying
Lowered self-esteem
Narcissism
Mass Media – Who is Defined as a “Terrorist”?
Concert Shooting in Las Vegas
The shooter was a white man
58 people killed and 546 wounded
He was described as a mentally ill “lone wolf” who was “evil”

9. Pulse Nightclub Shooting in Orlando
The shooter was a Muslim American man
49 people killed and 58 wounded
His actions were described as “radical Islamic terrorism”
Resocialization
Resocialization involves unlearning previous socialization
Discard former behaviours and accept new ones
Helps people to adopt a new outlook on the world and develop a
new sense of self
i.e., going from being single to living as part of a couple
This is voluntary resocialization
Resocialization – Total Institutions
Total institutions are places where people are monitored 24/7,
such as prisons, hospitals, and military barracks
This is often involuntary resocialization
These institutions are structured to fundamentally change the
people who enter them
The goal is to teach people to conform to social standards of
conduct
Resocialization – Degradation Ceremony
A degradation ceremony involves stripping individuals of their
former selves
This involves depersonalization
Required to wear institutional clothing
Assigned a number instead of a name

10. Total Institutions – Residential Schools
Total Institutions – Residential Schools, cont’d
The purpose of residential schools was to resocialize Indigenous
children into colonial culture
Children were forcibly taken from their families and
communities
They were stripped of their cultures, languages, and values
Many of the children were physically an sexually abused
These schools have had ongoing negative consequences in the
lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada
Summary
This chapter introduced:
Socialization as a lifelong process
Debates about the role of nature and nurture in human behaviour
The impact of social isolation on humans
Sociological perspectives on the purpose of socialization
Sociological and psychological perspectives on the role of
socialization in the develop of self
The agents of socialization
The purpose and impact of resocialization and total institutions
Principles of SociologyAssignment #1: Social Behaviour
Research Proposal (15%) (note: this assignment was developed
by Prof. Michelle Szabo (FHASS))

11. Due Date/Format: Week 5. Upload a doc file (not PDF) of
approx. 1000 words to “Assignments” dropbox (under
“Assessments”). List your first and last name at the top of the
first page and do not include the questions in your report.
Introduction: Even if you’re not a sociologist, you will come
across sociological research questions in your career or
everyday life. For example, if you’re in computer systems or
game design, you might need to know how users from different
social locations (e.g. age, country/culture) interact with a new
program or game. If you’re in animation or musical theatre,
knowing about historical trends in casting or character design
(e.g. in terms of sexuality, gender, gender identity, subculture,
etc.) may help you find your own place or voice. In your
personal or school life, you might just be a curious observer,
and wonder if a social trend you noticed is actually true, or why
it might be so. (e.g. Are anime fans at Sheridan more likely to
challenge fashion conventions than non-fans? Are women in
Toronto bigger tippers than men?). This assignment will prepare
you for this kind of research and help you think critically about
research projects conducted by others that you come across in
the media.
Description: You will propose a research topic related to social
behaviour*. Then, using insights from the course, you will
describe how you would do the research if you were going to
undertake the project. (You are not actually going to conduct
the research.)
*Choosing a topic related to social behaviour means that you
must investigate something that is relevant to a group of people
with something in common such as social location (e.g. gender,
race, ability, sexuality, class, national culture, religion, etc.),
hobby or lifestyle (e.g. gamers, cosplayers, burners, people with
tattoos, people who do yoga, etc.], or some other commonality.
You might already have an idea related to your current job, your
future career, or your personal interests. If not, see p.3 for
brainstorming help.
Report Questions

12. For your report, answer the following questions in numbered
sequence. Answer each question separately with full sentences
(not point form, not essay format). Include module and textbook
material (especially textbook Chapter 2) as much as possible in
your answers. Cite your sources when you do (see next page).
1. What is your research topic? (Do not use any of the example
topics in this document or from the textbook. Do not use any
topics from previous Sheridan sociology classes such as
“washing hands after using the bathroom” or “holding the door
open for others”). State your topic in one or two sentences.
Topic must be sociological and apply to a group of people
and/or explore a social trend.
2. What is your hypothesis? (State hypothesis in one sentence
with only two variables. Should be objectively stated as a
prediction of what you would find in your research, not as a
suggestion/opinion.)
e.g. ✓
X Women should tip more.
3. What are your dependent and independent variables?
4. What is the operational definition for your dependent
variable?
5. What one or two research method(s) would you use if you
had the time and resources to undertake the research? (Choose
from: structured interviews, questionnaires, participant
observation, qualitative interviews, secondary analysis, written
documents and A/V materials, or unobtrusive measures). Make
sure that you are able to use your operational definition in at
least one of these methods (that’s the point of the operational
definition). Name each method and then describe how you
would use it to show that you understand what the method
entails. (e.g. If you want to use participant observation, say how

13. you would conduct the observation and what it would consist of.
If you want to use surveys, say which kind and what kinds of
questions you would ask. If you want to use secondary analysis,
or written documents and A/V materials, which
sources/documents/materials would you use exactly?)
6. Describe why you chose this/these research method(s) over
the other methods. Use module and textbook material as much
as possible and cite your sources when you do*.
7. Is what you described in #6 quantitative or qualitative
research (or both)? Why do you say that? Describe what defines
quantitative vs. qualitative research and how your project is one
or the other (or both). Again use module and textbook material
as much as possible and cite your sources when you do.
8. List any and all ethical issues associated with your project
(see textbook p.36-39). How would you make sure to follow
ALL ethical guidelines in your research?
*Referencing. Make sure to cite your sources if you are using
material that you learned in the modules, from the textbook or
from any other source. Within your report use the format:
(Cumming,2020 p.#) for the textbook or (Rukszto, 2020a,
Module #/(Rukszto 2020b, Module #) for the modules. Also, on
a separate “References” page after the report use the format:
References
Cumming, Sara (2020). Sociology Unlocked. Oxford University
Press.
Rukszto, Katarzyna (2020a). “Module 2.2: Introductory Notes”.
Principles of Sociology, Fall 2020. [modify for the appropriate
year/week]
Brainstorming a Topic
If you’re having trouble finding a topic, try this:

14. 1. Pick a particular social group that you’re interested in. It
could be a real or fictional group (e.g. female CEOs; comic
book superheroes; game design students)
2. Pick a geographical location, historical period, and/or
subgroup to narrow this group down so it is not too large or too
vague (e.g. female CEOs in North America; comic book
superheroes in Hollywood films since 2010; Sheridan game
design students).
3. Think about what you’d like to know about that group: How
they are treated, represented or portrayed by others (at
Sheridan, in the media, elsewhere)? What unique characteristics
they might have in common? What their identity in the group
means to them? How they use or perceive a particular product
or media item? If they are more likely to engage in a particular
activity or have particular experiences than people outside of
that group? Etc. etc.
4. Put some of your ideas together to create a topic. Don’t be
afraid to try several different combinations to see which you
like best: (e.g. How female CEOs in North America are treated
differently by their colleagues and subordinates than male
CEOs; How comic book superheroes in Hollywood films since
2010 are portrayed in terms of mental health; The unique
culture (slang, dress, hobbies, habits) of Sheridan game design
students). See more examples in the textbook and modules.
5. Get in touch with the instructor for feedback if you’d like!
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