Surrounded by controversy, socialisation has persistently had a paramount influence on the way that we, as individuals, conform to the roles that we are presented with in everyday life in regards to the self, work and gender. A significant contradiction concerning the way in which we socialise is that although we are in our most ordinary roles that appear inborn, we are essentially in masked roles that are composed by society (Willis, 1979: 184). Although we manage our roles and they seem natural, they are in reality roles that have been assembled by society. The non-essentialist or ‘social constructivist’ view of the self contends that we are shaped and modified by the external influences of society and culture. It is ruled entirely by structure as opposed to agency. Subsequently, ethnicity, age, gender, religion and social class play are significant part in influencing the self. Still, It is argued that if the non-essentialist view continues to be so indomitable, we may be seemingly modelled by societal views and structure. On the other hand, the essentialist views of the self have caused debate as it argues that through mediation, travel, or counselling, individuals will be able to find their inner self. Unlike the non-essentialist view, it focuses on the idea that society is connected to the individual more so than societal views, and internal factors such as agency and individual control are empowering. However, Erving Goffman in The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, the social roles in which we behave in are emphasised, highlighting that although we appear at our most natural, we are actually in roles that society has influenced, cancelling out the essentialist views. Goffman sees the self as a ‘dramaturgical approach’... ... middle of paper ... ...th dirt whereas girls from a young age play Barbie dolls; while growing up they still aspire to look like Barbie – dieting for the perfect body, dark tan, platinum blonde hair (Walter, 2010, Pg.254). Consequently, men and women are different and do not share the same social expectations; they have been introduced to these norms from the moment they are born and dressed in the ‘gender appropriate’ coloured clothing. Socialisation has had a constant influence on the way that we, as individuals, present ourselves in everyday life roles in regards to the self, work and gender. Controversy will continue to linger among the different views. A substantial contradiction with reference to the way in which we socialise is that despite being in our most mundane roles that appear natural and given, we are really in roles that are constructed by society (Willis, 1979: 184).
Aaron H. Devor argues in his essay “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender” the gender roles casted by society help shape the definition of gender and that society’s norms aren’t necessarily correct. In America, the two traditional categories for gender are male and female (109). He claims that gender is taught through their culture’s social definitions of gender; children see themselves in terms they have learned from the people around them (110). To support this claim, he introduces the “I”, “me” and “self”; the “I” forms a self-image to oneself as distinctive while the “me” allows one to fit into social norms (111). Together, they form the “self” that allows one to oversee and remove any behavior that is unacceptable
In Devor’s article, “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the social Meanings of Gender” one can better understand how society has a big impact on how gender is perceived. Understanding
Throughout SOCIO 211, Professor Sanderson has repeatedly stated that the things we do every day are not natural. Instead these things are constructed by society. He has repeatedly reminded us that we don’t “see” sociology or culture and that we need to “teach ourselves how to see again.” This has been the main take home point of this class for me. I’ve never realized how much I am shaped by my friends, family, teachers, and others around me. That being said, three sociological concepts have improved my understanding of my relationship with society: socialization, gender, and family. These three concepts have been the most important to me because they all are concepts I’ve related to my everyday life, that I am influenced by, and have been molded into. These concepts have made me realize that I cannot necessarily be whoever I want to be or do whatever I want to do. Because of these three main points, I understand my roles and expectations better in life. I have noticed that I act the way I do because I have been socially constructed to do so through socialization, expectations of gender and gender roles, and by how my family has influenced my view of society.
Bobbie Harro states in “The cycle of socialization” (2000), “No one brings us a survey, in the womb, inquiring which gender, class, religion, sexual orientation, cultural group, ability status, or age we might want to be born. These identities are ascribed to us at birth through no effort or decision or choice of our own” (p.16). I was born into a system, just like everyone else, where I was judged and labeled due to the social categories that I identify with. What I have experienced throughout my schooling has shaped and molded my sense of self and the way that I view myself in terms of my gender and race/ethnicity. I live in a world where I have been both praised and ridiculed for these differing characteristics that seem to define me, but
Two themes that relate to socialization is a social constructionist perspective and the sex role theory in which explain the differences among sexes. Social constructionist explains the differences, power and the gendered institutions. It focuses on the distribution of power, and how male are more dominant than females. (R) However, from personal experience, both my mother and father equally made decisions in our household and neither of them had more power over the other. Both my mother and father were equally play a role in raising me. The sex role theory begins to understand that we learn our roles through socialization. (R) It provides an understanding of our everyday roles and expectations of both gender 's.
Throughout Gendered Worlds sociologists argue that gender and sex are socially constructed as opposed to being innate. The authors present evidence in regards to history, biology, and contemporary viewpoints using day-to-day examples. Although alternative viewpoints may argue that through biological perspectives, gender and sex are innate characteristics through deeper examination it can be determined that gender and sex are truly socially constructed.
This statement raises an interesting view on how women have been socially constructed with regard to their place in the work force. Does this also mean that men have been constructed toward a different position in the workplace? Although women have progressed, as far as occupational status is concerned, patriarchy still persists in our modern society. The subject area that will be focussed upon in this paper is the social construction of gender. The purpose of my paper is to explore how the social construction of gender has produced inequalities among men and women at work. The direction this paper will take is to discuss the differences of status, wealth and power between men and women in the work place. The sociological theory that I will apply is gender as a sociological construction. The key element of this theory is sex dimorphism where traits are conceptualized as typically male and typically female normative patterns and these as cultural norms (Hale, 1995).
Sex Role Theory–expands upon this assumption and proposes that women and men learn appropriate gender roles through socialization within the culture of the family and wider society (Isaacs,
“Gender roles are thought to be products of nurture or how individuals are brought up. They are casually constructed” (Haslanger 98). In essence, socializing a child in gender roles is simply a matter of teaching him or her to conform to the gendered norms appropriate to a community. Many people argue that socialization is better taught in a nuclear family because a father can best teach a boy how to act just as a mother can best teach a girl. For instance, a father can best teach a boy how to dress and be a gentleman whereas a mother can best teach a girl how to dress and behave ladylike. Hence, this is why critics say that both parents are adequate in teaching gender socialization. However, these critics also ignore the other agents of socialization. Nancy Chodorow, a former Sociology Professor at the University of California, points out that the community, schools and media play a role in socializing a child with respect to gender roles (214). Therefore, it is apparent that the family is not the only way for a child to be socialized in gender roles. For instance, if a man within the community decides to approach a boy and tell him that his dress code is not suitable subsequently offering advice on what he should wear, the child becomes further acquainted with gender socialization. Even by watching
In conclusion, we see that gender roles, as specific as they are in our culture, vary from culture to culture. And the variation of gender roles, in a global perspective, demonstrates that they are learned through socialization as oppose to stemming from nature, instinct and drive.
Females are to wear pink and play with dolls. As females grow from girls to women. They are suppose to clean, cook, do laundry, and anything their husbands ask them to do. They have the ‘okay’ to show emotions on how they feel about something and not get picked on it. As where boys, they are not allowed to wear pink or play with dolls. They are to wear blue and play with monster trucks or play in the dirt. They are not typically allowed to show emotions. When little boys grow up to be men, they are suppose to go to work, pay the bills, and they typically want their supper on a plate ready when they get home. In the article, “How Boys Become Men” Katz proclaims in his article, “More than anything else, boys are supposed to learn how to handle themselves.” Meaning, they are not allowed to show emotions to other kids not even to their own parents. They are just supposed to ‘handle’ themselves. How does a little kid just handle themselves and not show emotions? “Women’s looks matter terribly in this society, and so Barbie, however ambivalently, must be passed along.” Stated in the article “Why boys Don’t Play with Dolls” written by Pollitt. I must strongly agree with this remark. They do everything you watch on a TV ad shows women with makeup and being tall and skinny. Children are grown up to believe that there is a certain way of things boys and girls can do. Well, simply they both can do both roles. In todays society we must look pass the social norms of each gender to become more informed of how each individual would like to be viewed
Social Interaction is an essential element when understanding the role of a human in society and how a human conducts himself or herself. A key term for this interaction is a person’s status(a recognizable social position that an individual occupies. Page 128) in that society. Each person within that status has a role (the duties and behaviors expected of someone who holds a particular status. Page 128) to complete during their social interactions. However, if a person cannot complete the roles that are assigned to them in that individual status then they experience role strain (the incompatibility among roles corresponding to a single status. Page 128). One example from the book is a professor who needs to keep writing research and lectures
The Evidence that Socialisation Plays a Major Part in Shaping Human Behaviour Socialisation is the lifelong process by which human behaviour is shaped through experience in social institutions (e.g. family, which is a crucial factor in primary socialisation). Through socialization, individuals learn the values, norms (formal and informal rules), and beliefs of a given society. In considering the nature of the self, it is necessary to include a still more fundamental social scientific issue – the extent to which human beings are being formed by biological inheritance (i.e. genetic determinism), or through socialisation (i.e. cultural determinism); the issue called nature-nurture debate. Another way to put this is the difference between instinct and learned behaviour, where instinct is inherited, and learned behaviour acquired through socialisation.
Gender is an important aspect of our social life; it comprises of power relations, the division of labour, symbolic forms and emotional relations (Connel, 2000).
Socialization is the process of passing down norms, customs, and ideologies that are important to the society by the previous generations to the younger generations. The school system is a social agency that was created to enhance the processes of socialization through education. The importance of school as an agent of socialization can be best explained by the amount of time students spend in school and in activities happen around school. The manifest functions of school are to educate students the social norms, and the knowledge and skills that help them become economically productive in order to benefit the society. But students not only learn from the academic curriculum but they also benefit from socialize with their teachers and peers.