SOCIALIZATION ASSIGNMENT
ASSIGNMENT: In a two to three page paper give some thought to how you came to believe what you believe politically- freedom right or left, order right or left, or some combination (not everyone is a pure type. Many of us hold views from more than one quadrant). (Note: While some aspects of socialization can touch on personal areas you need not share any more detail than you are comfortable with especially in terms of issues of power/authority within the family, but these themes can still be addressed in terms of general life lessons).Your discussion can address any or all of the following areas. Be sure to include the agents of socialization and how they relate to your life. There Is no one way to write this paper as everyone has had a different life experience. Some agents of socialization may have been more influential in your life than others.
SOCIALIZATION: How the culture, values and ways of life (i.e. lenses and frames) common to society are transmitted.
CULTURE: Symbols (words, colors, objects, artifacts)
Beliefs (shared ideas about what's true)
Values (shared ideas about what's desirable)
Religion, Art
Norms, Sanctions (Expectations about behavior, rewards, punishments, what's normal and what's not.
What's inside the circle of accepted behavior and what's outside)
Political Order: Institutions, style of governance, civil and political rights.
Social Order: Arts, music dance, dress, skirt length, racism, sexism etc.
Some U.S. Cultural values
Individualism, freedom
(Self responsibility, self expression, consumption)
Competition
(Rational calculation in the quest for wealth "What's in it for me?")
Technological achievement
Fun. Comfort, convenience, pleasure
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
Family: Parental interest in politics, party i.e., religion, power/authority decision-making models.
Primary school: group norms, national slogans, symbols, introduce outside authority
Secondary school: Civics, field trips, distinguishes between leaders and institutions.
College: Critical thinking, emerging peers.
Adulthood: media, religion, community, peers (the greatest impact- people most like you.)