Chapter Four: Socialization Through the Life Cycle
Socialization, as defined by the text, is the process through which people learn the expectations of society. Basically, socialization is how a clean slated young human becomes a person with an identity and personality. This chapter introduces the timeless science debate of whether a person's traits are due to nature (our genetic and biological makeup) or nurture (the environment in which we are raised). For me, this concept in chapter four is what sparked my interest. There are so many arguments that support either theory and I find it fascinating exploring both.
While most sociologists agree that our human traits are a mixture of biological and environmental factors, I enjoy comparing the differing arguments. On one side, there is the nature debate. Identical twins, separated at birth, often have similar traits and tendencies; thus supporting the nature argument. However, such cases as feral children growing up isolated have minimal human characteristics. These rare cases support the idea that personality and human characteristics are taught via the environment. While there are arguments supporting both extreme theories, the book states that maybe nature provides the stage while nurture provides the detail and depth.
Another aspect of this chapter that caught my attention was how socialization happens throughout the life and the media through which it occurs. Social agents are the people, or sources, or structures that pass on social expectations. If we interact at all with people, we not only learn from social agents, but are social agents. I find it fascinating that family, the media, peers, religion, and sports all play a role in socialization. Every minute of every day something externally is influencing our lives. Even more interesting, socialization does not stop at childhood. The agents and their relevance change throughout lifetime. Teen years peers are heavy influences and adulthood influences consist of spouse, children, and the workplace. Socialization is everywhere, all the time; a perfect chapter to begin my sociology blog.
Socialization Through the Life Cycle, is an insightful chapter with an abundance of information regarding how humans socialize to become people with distinct personalities and identities.
Nature Vs Nurture
The majority of people are fortunate enough to experience the combined effect of nature and nurture. We are all born with the slate of inherited biological makeup and build upon that slate with the external influences of family, school, peers, and more. However, there are a select few that were brought into this world with horrible circumstances. Feral and severely neglected children are given no opportunity to be social and develop like the rest of society. These children experience solely nature without any nurture.
Here is an article, website, and video further demonstrating the effects that severe isolation has on children:
Here is a video that illustrates the effects of what it is like for a child to grow up in an environment that was not nurturing, and had no socialization:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thIDCL3NClQ&feature=related
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Feral (or severely isolated) children are the ultimate case for sociologists. They provide answers to the nature/nurture debate and also allow workers to socialize a complete blank slate. However, I feel like people often get caught up in the heroism and science of recovering and working with such children. We forget the story and the journey these kids are forced to travel down. Here is a website that tells the story of another severely isolate child, Danielle. Her story sparked my interest because it was so recent, and very detailed about all aspects of Danielle's story. Enjoy and maybe Danielle's story will give a 360 degree view on the life of a severely neglected child. http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/article750838.ece
While Genie and Danielle (above) are the most horrific, extreme cases of severe isolation, there are other degrees of isolation that can occur during the most crucial years of life. This journal explains the results of growing up in isolation and the possibly interventions to help these children adapt to society:
http://sgr.sagepub.com/content/14/2/175.full.pdf+html
Socialization Throughout Life
The severe lack of nurture in the lives of socially deprived and isolated children is heartbreaking. Fortunately, most of us have received adequate socialization that allows us to mold into society. Every aspect and interaction in our life has, in some way, affected who are are as people. Here is a quote, photo, and internet site that will hopefully depict the life and socialization of an average American.
For "Retro Day" all of my friends and I dressed up like the 80's. I spent most of my time with my friends and learned more from our relationships than I did from my family and school. Adolescent friendships taught me how to interact with my peers.
In the twenty first century, a popular mechanism for socialization is the internet. Teens, young adults, and now even children are spending vast amounts of time on social networking sites. Networking sites like http://www.facebook.com/ are a very popular place to share thoughts, pictures, and life updates.
While friends are especially important in youth and young adulthood, family is the purest form of isolation. They are around from birth until old age. Family teaches you about life, love, and living with another. I believe that this quote reflects my feelings the best:
"The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together." ~Erma Bombeck
A Crossword to Test Your Vocabulary Skills
