SOCIALIZATION NATURE VS.

NURTURE
1 The twin studies reveal that both our genes and our socialization play a great part in who
become as adults. Most studies show that when these sets of twins are reunited there are
a lot of similarities between them even when they have grown completely far away and
almost opposite of each other. Things like our temperament, the way we talk and sound,
nervous ticks amongst a few others are likely due to heredity. Other qualities like; their
values and morals, attitude, who they potentially pick out as a partner, even their
drinking patterns are due to socialization. While we may inherit certain aspects of our
personality, the way we are raised factors into how these aspects will develop and show
through. Also, its fascinating to learn that through the studies they performed on the
baby monkeys, as humans we need that intimacy and comfort and that will ultimately
impact the way we treat others tremendously later in life.
2 Self is who we feel we are that makes us unique to others and its also molded by our
relationships and interactions. It evolves throughout our lives as we process the things
we go through in life. According to sociologist Charles H. Cooley the looking glass
self is basically our sense of self in relation to how we think someone may be
viewing/judging us. Its not based on how this person may actually evaluate us but
rather on what WE think their perception of us is. The three phases are: First, we
imagine how friends, family and even complete strangers view us. Second, we imagine
how others might judge or classify someone as good looking, smart and even weird.
And third this is how we define our sense of self, based on our assumptions on how
others see us.
For sociologist George H. Mead, self was split into two major components. One is I
and the other is ME. I is our acting self (as described in the chapter) that walks, reads,
smiles basically performs any chosen task. Me is who we become in relation to others
and our past experiences. It is how we are able to judge how well we do in social
settings based on the standards that weve developed through the years. I is active and
does, while Me thinks ahead of what may happen and/or judges our experiences. The
term significant other is used for those whose opinions we value and help shape and
form our sense of self, and it can be friends, family, teachers etc.
Meads three-stage process of self-development are: preparatory stage, play stage and
game stage. The preparatory stage ends at 3 years old, in this stage kids imitate what
they see around them, like when I play with my 1yr old Godson and I roll a ball on the
ground and he rolls it right back at me. Eventually in this stage the kids develop a sense
of meaning for these actions and they start to use symbols to communicate. The Play
stage is from 3-5 years old. For this stage the kids are building their use of symbols to
communicate and they starts getting into make-believe playtime. I fondly remember
watching my mom put on makeup and so eventually Id pretend I would do so as well,
or when Id see singers on t.v. I would put on these concerts with my cousins for the
whole family. Mead believed this was a very important stage of the development of self
because kids were able to assume the perspective of someone else and therefore utilize
that. The Game stage is from 6-9 years old. In this stage the kids play goes from makebelieve to a more realistic approach. They are finally able to grasp better their
relationships and how those are in relations to others and how those behaviors are

shaped as a whole. Basically they are not just mimicking actions but now processing
what role they have in certain activities and is expected of them and of others around
them.
3 The dramaturgical approach is what the sociologist Erving Goffman used to explain
how we all play parts in this society. He compares us to actors in a play, all with
different parts and scripts, using elaborate costumes and props. According to him we
may many different depending on the social setting. For example, we going on a first
date we try our best be presentable and put forth our best self. He says that in the front
stage is where we perform for our audiences and these performances involve costumes
and props and ever other people as our cast members and our plays are mostly
scripted. In the backstage is where we prepare for our show such as would be getting
ready for that first date. Through impression management we create a sense of self that
is satisfying to a particular audience in a particular setting, it may not include
everything that we are as a self but it includes what that particular audience would feel
is appropriate and the norm. Face-work is how we are able to reason and salvage a
possible embarrassing situation. Using the example of the first date if it didnt go well,
face-work would mean the person might say he/she wasnt my type after all.

4 Agents of socialization are family, friend, peers, schools, the media, our jobs, the
people we interact with. Schools play a very important part in gender role
socialization. Schools teach what is the norm of appropriate social behavior since a
very young age. We are taught to work in teams with others, to meet deadlines, and
that if we work hard we can get rewards. An example in gender role socialization that I
personally learned from my cultural anthropology class is playing sports such as
baseball. Usually when boys and girls play sports generally the high praise and
encouragement is directly more towards the boys rather than girls. The girls will
usually a dismissal type of attitude towards any mistakes they may have made in the
game and regarded as well thats just how girls play instead of being corrected on
what they did to improve their skills. Social scientist like Sherry Turkle and Nicholas
Carr believe that technology such as the internet is making us shallow. We may have
access to endless information and we can even establish interactions with people
around the world but its from our intimate interactions and relationship. The more
connected to technology we are the more disconnected we are becoming in our
relationships.

5 Total institutions are prisons, the military, boarding school, summer camp, basically
and institution that is cut off from society and that through authority regulates the
social behavior and the norms that should be followed. The four traits of the total
institutions are:
Life is conducted in the same place under a single authority.

The activities practiced at these institutions are done with others in the same
circumstances.
Authorities come up with the schedule and activities and the participants have no
say in this.
It is all designed for the purpose of the organization and authority and only.
A degradation ceremony is the process of total institutions in which people are made to
feel humiliated. An example of this would be when someone may enter prison, you are
told to give up jewelry and makeup, and you are given a uniform thats exactly the same
as other prison mates wear. All of this is done so that you have no individual self, you are
part of that organization and you are to do as they say, when they say.
Our society deals with most elderly people by segregating them into retiring homes.
Basically when a person retires and a younger person takes his/her place the retiree starts
to disengage in social interactions, they do this in preparation of death. The
disengagement theory suggests that society forces elderly people to retire and also to let
go of their social interactions when they may not necessarily want to retire. The activity
theory is quite the opposite, it states that though an elderly person may not want to do
same things he/she did when they were 40 they can and want to still be an active part of
society. The studies show that their quality of life improves if they are encouraged to stay
fit and active and they remain healthier, while someone that is encouraged to disengage
from social interactions may find their health and mood declining rapidly.
Speaking from experience since I am the youngest of four and am currently very active in
caretaking of my aging parents, my solution to ageism is that we encourage our elders to
continue to be part of society. Just as there are specific roles and activities designed or
expected of kids, adolescents, adults, middle aged people there should be a stronger
design if you will for what an aging person can and should do. In my Mexican culture our
elders are well respected, and the norm is for the youngest to take care of them as they
age. However, there is a lack of encouragement that they shouldnt rely on others but on
themselves if they are relatively in good health. The studies show the more active and
engaged they are the happier and healthier their lives will be.