Lecture eight, identity and socialisation

LECTURE EIGHT

Effective from September 2015 | F_Soc USIC Sociology week 7 - Society

Review of Lecture Seven: Last week, we looked at the media and social theory and examined three sociological perspectives on how media contents are received by its audience: Functionalism, Pluralism and Conflict Theory.

We also developed debates on media ownership and media representations.

sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 2


Identity Structure and AgencyPrimary and Secondary SocialisationConclusionHomework



Identity Definition: The sense that someone has of who they

are and of what is most important about them. (Haralambos and Holborn 2013: 729).

Identity involves making comparisons between people and establishing similarities and differences between them. Those who are believed to be similar share aspects of their identity.



Important sources of identity are likely to include: nationality, ethnicity, age, sexuality, gender, religion and

social class.

Example: An individual can be British-Asian, heterosexual, female, Hindu, young & middle-class.



Types of Identity Personal Identity: refers to how a person thinks about

him/herself.

Social Identity: refers to how individuals are perceived by others.

Therefore personal identity is an individual’s view of themselves while social identity is the society’s view of the individual.



From its very outset, sociology showed great interest in the fast pace of changes and transitions experienced in modern societies.

Some examples: changes in gender roles, work patterns, technology, globalization, mass migration, environmental degradation… etc.


In the early 20th century gender roles were clearly marked by the clothes men and women wore to the roles they played in the society. Men worked and were seen as the breadwinners. Women stayed home and took care of the children and the home. These behaviours and actions shaped societies’ interpretation of masculine and feminine behaviour.


How are identities formed?Debates on identity tend to take place around a central question:

How are identities formed and to what extent do we shape our own identities?

oPeople actively shape and change their own identities, for example people have a great deal of choice about which social groups to join, through forms of consumption… etc.

oAt the same time however, societal factors play a significant role.



Structure and agency debate

Identity is formed through a combination of individual agency and structural restrictions.

Agency is the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices.

Structure refers to those factors of influence e.g. social class, gender, ethnicity, culture, etc that determine or limit an individual’s decisions.



Identity and Culture Identities can be formed through the cultures and sub-cultures to which

people belong, however, different theoretical viewpoints see the relationship between culture and identity in different ways.

According to Structuralist views ‘identity’ is formed by people’s involvement in particular cultures and sub-cultures.

• e.g. people who identify themselves as Christian would be expected to have a strong Christian Identity.



Identity and SociologyThere are different arguments proposing how identities are formed. George Mead (1863-1931) an American philosopher and sociologist argued that human development involves imagining the way others view us. Our identity is linked to the external identity others bestow upon us.

Erving Goffman (1922-1982) a Canadian-born sociologist and writer saw the social world as a play. Individuals put on a performance for others to convince them of who they are. By presenting themselves in particular roles individuals develop identities.

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) an Austrian neurologist believed that childhood experiences, often unconscious, were vital for the development of identities in adulthood, particularly gender and sexual identities.


Effective from September 2015 | F_Soc USIC Sociology week 7 - Society Effective from September 2015 | FY10 Sociology week 2 - Society

Identity & Socialization


Socialization describes the process of how we are taught the behavioral rules we need to become both a member of a particular society/culture and a competent social individual.

Young children for instance are expected to learn the

roles, norms and values they will need to function in

society from their family and school; these elements are not inherent in children but

taught.

Effective from September 2015 | F_Soc USIC Sociology week 7 - Society Effective from September 2015 | FY10 Sociology week 2 - Society

Forms of Socialization


Primary Socialisation: takes place within the family where children learn common goals, appropriate behaviour and gender roles.

Secondary Socialisation: takes place outside the home, mainly in schools and in the community. Here children learn to treat each other according to certain rules that apply to everyone (e.g. sharing, respect) and to conform to these rules.


o Parents, schools, peer groups and the mass media are among significant socializing agents.

o Differences in adults’ backgrounds mean that not all children-even within the same family- are raised with identical norms and values.

o Differences in culture, language, values, beliefs, norms and traditions influence the socialisation processes.



Summary Identity refers to the sense that someone has of who they are and of what is most important to them. Important sources of identity are nationality, ethnicity, sexuality, gender and social class. There are two types of identity: Personal Identity and Social Identity. Identities can be formed through external influences or socialization. Debates on identity enable us to gain greater awareness into why people behave the way they do and what factors cause people to behave in certain ways, how people are socialized, how they perceive themselves and how society perceives them.



Review lecture and prepare questions for seminar one Read Giddens and Sutton, Sociology (2015) pp.334-344

and take notes.

Homework


Education

Lecture eight, identity and socialisation