Socialization

Personality Development

Goals to Be Met

Goal 5: The learner will analyze the process of socialization.

Objectives 5.01 Define socialization. 5.02 List the agents of socialization. 5.03 Describe how the process of socialization is

culturally determined. 5.04 Explain the various theoretical perspectives

on socialization. 5.05 Trace how socialization is a life-long process. 5.06 Evaluate the functions and roles of

socializing agents.

Socialization Socialization: Process by which society

transmits its values to individuals so that they function properly

Most important outcome of socialization is personality

Personality Personality: Sum total of behaviors,

attitudes, beliefs, and values that are characteristic of an individual

Personality traits determine how we adjust to our environment and how we react in specific situations

Continues to develop throughout lifetime More obviously during childhood and slow down

during adulthood

Nature v. Nurture

Debate over what determines personality and social behavior

Nature: Much of human behavior is instinctual in origin Instinct: Unchanging, biologically inherited

behavior pattern Most often applied to animal behavior

Nurture: Behavior and personality are result of his/her social environment and learning Ivan Pavlov = Pavlov’s Dog Experiment = Dog, Bell,

Salvation John B. Watson = Claimed he could take a dozen

healthy infants and train them to become anything he wanted

Sociobiology Sociobiology: Systematic study of the

biological basis of all social behavior Argued most of human social life is

determined by biological factors Personality and social behavior result from

blending of hereditary and social environmental influences

Environmental factors have the greatest influence

Heredity Heredity: Transmission of genetic characteristics

from parents to children Some argue heredity and others suggest social environment

determines personality Heredity sets limits on temperament, intelligence, and

aptitude but socialization plays a key role in determining achievement

What is inherited can be changed by socialization Aptitude: Capacity to learn a particular skill or

acquire a particular body of knowledge (Ex: natural talent for music) Most social scientists believe that some aptitudes can be

learned, but some believe inherited aptitudes often develop due to environment Ex: Baby moves and smiles to music so they sign baby up for dance

Heredity (cont’d) We inherit genetic characteristics, but we also

inherit certain basic needs and capacities Humans have biological drives Drives do not determine our behavior, we

learn these from interaction with others Ex: Hunger drive does not tell us when, what, and how

to eat

Heredity plays a role in shaping human personalities by setting limits on individuals Ex: If you are 5-feet tall you are not likely to be a

star basketball player

Birth Order and Parental Characteristics Birth Order

Personality is influenced by whether we have brothers, sisters, both.

Research indicated that 1st born children are more likely to be achievement-oriented and responsible; later-born children tend to be better in social relationships and are more affectionate and friendly

Parental Characteristics Education, age, religion, socioeconomic status

(SES), culture, and job background of parents can influence child’s personality

The Cultural Environment Determines basic types of personalities

found in society Each culture gives rise to a series of

personality traits that are typical of members of that society (model personality)

How we experience culture influences our personalities Ex: Our experiences differ depending on whether

we are a boy or girl Boys and girls are treated differently from the moment

of birth (boys = blue, girls = pink) Boys/girls are nudged in different directions: clothes,

activities, speech, habits, and ideas

Isolation in Childhood Feral Children: (Wild or untamed) Have few human

characteristics other than appearance Anna and Isabelle Discovered in the late 1930s

Anna Born to an unmarried woman (enraged mother’s father) Confined to attic room Discovered by social worker at 6 years old Couldn’t walk, talk, or feed herself and could only talk in phrases and

follow simple directions Isabelle

Born to unmarried deaf mother Grandfather kept her and mother confined in a dark room Had advantage of mother’s company, but did not learn to speak Found at age 6 and after training began to speak Concluded that because of constant contact with her mother and

training she overcame social deprivation

Isolation in Childhood (Cont’d) Genie

Discovered in 1970 when she was 13 Father hated children and confined her to a small

bedroom tied to a potty chair at the age of 20 months

When found she couldn’t stand strait and had social and psychological skills of a 1-year-old

After 8 years of training she had not progressed past the level of a 3rd grade student

Eventually mastered language and learned to conform to social norms

Isolation in Childhood (cont’d) Children living in institutions (orphanages

and hospitals) may show some characteristics of isolated children

Rene Spitz Study In 1945 Spitz studied effects of institutionalization

on group of infants living in an orphanage Within 2 years 1/3 of children died Of the survivors less than 25% could walk by

themselves, dress themselves, or use a spoon Only 1 child could speak in complete sentences They seemed to have simply wasted away from

lack of cuddling and loving