Culture and Socialization(Or how we know what we know)
Culture and SocializationWhat is culture?Development of cultureCultural variationLanguage and cultureNorms and valuesGlobal culture warsCulture and dominant ideologiesCulture and socializationSocialization and the selfAgents of socializationAging and socialization
Culture and SocializationCulture: totality of learned socially transmitted
customs, knowledge, objects, and behaviorCulture includes language, values, norms, customs,
artifacts, and even groups of peopleSocialization: process by which people learn basic
societal attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, and values
Society: large number of people who live in the same territory, who are relatively independent of the people outside of that area, and who participate in a common cultureCommon culture emphasizes day-to-day interaction
Cultural UniversalsAll societies develop common practices and
beliefsThese are adaptations to meet essential
human needsInnovationDiffusionWhat are some examples of cultural
universals?Ethnocentrism: tendency to assume one’s
own culture and way of life represent the norm or are superior to all others
Cultural RelativismEvaluation of a people’s behavior from the
perspective of that cultureTries to employ a type of value-neutral approach
in scientific studyRequires a serious effort to be unbiased
Innovation: process of introducing a new idea or object to a culture
Discovery: making known or sharing the existence of some aspect of reality
Invention: results when existing cultural items are combined into something new
Development of Global CultureGlobalization: worldwide integration of
government policies, banking systems, cultures, social movements, and financial systems through trade and the exchange of ideas
Diffusion: process by which a cultural item spreads from group to groupExplorationConquestMissionary workMass mediaTourismInternet
Development of Global CultureMcDonaldization: process through which
the principles of the fast-food industry dominant certain sectors of society
Material culture: physical or technological aspects of our daily lives
Nonmaterial culture: ways of using material objects
Culture lag: period of maladjustment when nonmaterial culture struggles to adapt to material conditions
Cultural VariationEach culture considers its own customs, rules, norms,
and values as “natural”Cultures adapt to meet specific sets of circumstancesSubcultures: segments of society that share distinct
patterns of customs, rules, and traditions that differ from the larger society Argot: specialized language that is developed that allows
insiders to understand words with special meaningsCounterculture: when a subculture deliberately
opposes or rejects aspects of the larger cultureCulture shock: feeling of disorientation, uncertainty, or
being out of place when immersed in an unfamiliar culture
Culture and LanguageLanguage: abstract system of word
meanings and symbols for all aspects of cultureIncludes speech, written language, numerals,
gestures, and nonverbal communicationWhat we know is bounded by language
We need to know and understand a symbol to be able to express it
Miscommunication
Norms and ValuesNorms: establish the rules and standards of
behavior in a societyFormal norms: written down; specific
punishmentsInformal norms: generally understood but not
recordedMores: norms determined as highly necessary for
societyFolkways: norms of everyday behaviorSanctions: the penalties and rewards for conduct
concerning social norms Sanctions are a form of social control
Norms and ValuesNorms are collective expressions of what is
good, bad, desirable, or undesirable in a society
Influence people’s conceptions of themselvesInfluence people’s behaviorCriteria for evaluating othersMay change over time or situationally
Culture WarsCulture war: polarization of society over
controversial elements of cultureNational: abortion, health care,
pensions/social security, debt, gun control, sexual expression, religious expression
Global: wars, nuclear programs, global economy, colonization
Culture and Dominant IdeologiesDominant ideology: set of beliefs and
practices that help maintain powerful interestsSocialEconomicPolitical
“If you work hard enough, you can succeed in life”
Perspectives on Culture (pg. 55)
Culture and SocializationNature vs. Nurture
Today’s scientists believe the two interactSociobiology: systematic study of the
biological basis for human behaviorBegan with Charles DarwinSociobiologists apply Darwin’s principle of
natural selection to the study of human behavior
Isolation: interaction of heredity and environment shape developmentEmphasize early socialization of children
Socialization and the SelfSelf: distinct identity that sets us apart from others
Constantly changingDevelops throughout your life
Looking-glass selfMead’s stages of the self:
Preparatory stage: children imitate people around themPlay stage: become more aware of social relationships and
role taking occurs Role taking: the process of mentally assuming another’s
perspective and responding from that point of viewGame stage: children about 8-9 consider several actual tasks
and relationships simultaneously Generalized Other: attitudes, viewpoints, and expectations of
society as a whole that a child takes into account
Mead and GoffmanMead:
The self begins as a privileged/central point in a person’s world
As a person matures, the self begins to change and reflect greater concern for the reactions of others
Significant others: individuals most important in the development of the self
Goffman: Impression management
Agents of SocializationFamily
Gender roles: expectation regarding proper behavior, attitudes, and activities for men and women
SchoolPeer groups
Harassment and supportMass media and technologyWorkplaceReligionState
Aging and SocializationRites of passage: means of dramatizing and
recognizing changes in a person’s statusLife course approach: looking closely at the factors
that influence people throughout their livesAnticipatory socialization: person “rehearses” future
occupations and social relationshipsResocialization: discarding former behavior patterns
and accepting new ones as you transitionTotal institution: regulates all aspects of a person’s life
under a single authorityDegradation ceremony: ritual where the individual
becomes secondary and invisible in an overbearing social environment