Assignment Task: Our identity is something that evolves over time. From the time we are born we are shaped by our family, friends, community, and the broader institutions in our society, a process known as socialization. It's important to acknowledge that we are socialized to have certain ideologies, or beliefs and values. These ideologies are the lens through which we understand how the world works. Our ideologies also influence our behavior and the decisions we make. In this reflection assignment, please think critically about the sources of your own ideologies and the impact they have on your actions and identities.
Questions:
Q1. Identify one ideology that you consider a core value to your identity, then describe the factors of socialization in your life that shaped it.
Q2. Briefly recount a decision or action that directly resulted from that ideology.
Q3. Critique that action-was it justified, rational and fair, or would you do things differently now that you know how your beliefs have been influenced by forces outside of yourself?
Include these tips:
- To do 4 things: identify, describe, recount and critique. The most important element is the critique, which will indicate that you understand how your identity and ideologies (beliefs and values) are the product of socialization and are likely to evolve over time.
- Does knowing that our ideologies are shaped by forces outside of ourselves-forces we may not be consciously aware of-change your outlook on that decision/action you will recount?
- Ideological beliefs also include the dominant narratives about the world that influence you whether you agree with them, or not, like the messages you see in the media. Combined with the influence of your family, culture, education, etc., there are many ways that our identity and ideologies are socially constructed.