WJEC/AQA Sociology Unit 1 Culture. Socialisation. Link between socialisation and identity. Summary notes. Condensed knowledge. Easy to use. Easy revision. Learn quickly.
Identity, self & others Learning gender identity through socialisation
G H Mead suggested that people do not act on Gender is one of the most important identities. Our biological sex will carry with it a set of cultural expectations. These cultur
logic or rationality, but on their sense of our gender roles. From even before birth, a child may be treated differently according to its biological sex – clothes, toys.
understandings & meanings. This understanding Gender identities
Farley (1990) pointed out that in Western cultures, expected male identities include:
has triggered sociological psychological research
into how we develop our sense of meaning & • Leadership
• Control of social situations
identity & this approach to sociology is generally
known as Interactionsim. Identity can be • Decision making
• Active, unemotional & aggressive behaviours
variable, depending on out social situations. This Family
is because it reflects the views of others. Ann Oakley described processes of gender sociali
Sociologists have identified 2 elements to Expected feminine identity behaviours: children learned the expected behaviour for their
identity: • Physical dependency & weakness following primary socialisation processes:
1. Primary identity is our sense of self • Emotionalism • Manipulation – parents encourage behaviour t
2. Secondary identity consists of the roles we • Lack of control gender & discourage what they see as inappro
play in society • Passive, caring & family orientated • Canalisation – boys & girls are channelled into
• Verbal appellations – girls = 'princess', boys = '
• Different activities – girls = dance classes, boys
This idea was developed & criticised by Statham w
We develop a sense of the meaning of who we are, our identity, in a parents avoid purposeful gender socialisation, cul
no. Of ways: What is the link between expectations so powerful that children still behav
• We are told who we are by others
• We may choose different identities depending on where we are socialisation & identity? of the powerful influence of secondary socialisati
• Identity may give us meaning
• Some identities may be imposed on us – ascribed statuses Learning class identity through socialisation
Media
• Some identities may be chosen – achieved statuses Social class is used to describe entire groups of people
Judith Butler points out that the media stereotyp
Sullivan, a psychiatrist, developed the concept of the 'significant other'. of similar education, income & occupational
is so powerful it is difficult to avoid gender sociali
In sociology, the term is used to describe a person or a group of people background. Class groupings are more complex than
behaviour. Is a large amount of literature on body
who have a major influence on a person's sense of self-identity. Many upper, middle & lower (or working) class. Those who
media, with unnatural body types being presente
agencies of socialisation can be seen as significant others. are in the UC are the extremely wealthy & powerful,
& the norm for both men & women. Naomi Wolf
often own land & property. Are few of them, but they
the idea of a perfect body image was a means to
Education have access to political & social power.
women.
Many sociologists argue that MC & WC culture in Britain are different.
People may take pride in their social class background & position. Work
Savage argued that the lifestyles of people in the MC differ from those In 2005, Savage wrote that one of the typical features of WC people was their view of themselves as 'ordina
of the WC. Have more disposable income & are able to spend it on living opposed to those in the higher professions in 1999, Charlesworth explored WC life in Rotherham & claimed
comfortable lifestyles: house, cars, holidays. Their children can expect to had always gained class identity from work. He claimed that in recent years, WC people could not rely on ga
attend good schools, go to uni & gain high-paying jobs. MC children of WC jobs that had traditionally given them pride. = lives of negativity, lack of culture & over-exposure to th
more likely to succeed in school than WC. Education is therefore an they have no jobs, have limited money & find it difficult to participate in the more active social lives of the w
important agency of socialisation into class identity. is lack of work & poor working conditions that teach people their class.
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