Becoming a Member of SocietyEnculturation/Socialization: Identity Formation (Identities, Disciplines, and

Aspirations)

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 define and explain the different concepts regarding enculturation and socialization,

 discuss the development of one’s self and others as a product of enculturation and
socialization, and

 prove that identity, disciplines, and aspirations are necessary for the development of personal
and cultural identity.

 What does it mean to be a person?

 In a society where there are many cultures, how do you form your personal identity?

Enculturation and
Socialization
What is the difference between socialization
and enculturation? How is enculturation
related to socialization?

Society is different from culture. There are

many cultures within a society. While
members of society share many of the same
expectations and experiences, the cultural
groups create ones that differentiate them
from others in society.

Enculturation
 the process by which an individual
adopts the behavior patterns of the culture
in which a person is immersed

Socialization
It is the process through which people learn
to understand the societal norms, expectations and values as members of society.

Study the chart that further explains the differences and relationships of socialization and
enculturation.

Identity Formation
Identity formation starts when one learns to socialize and be aware of the culture, behaviors,
language, morals, and norms of where he or she belongs in. However, as a person grows, he or she
learns to make his or her own set of beliefs, values, and morals. This is how a person develops an
identity. This is what makes a person different from others.

Identity
Identity is what makes a person distinct from others. It is the total knowledge and understanding of
an individual about who he or she is.
Types of Identity

1. Personal

 the concept an individual develops about himself or herself

 the sense of oneself as a distinct or unique individual

 may depend on the age and circumstances of a person

Example: Rolen is an African girl. She is the most quiet student in her class. She believes that time is
gold, so spends her free time studying her lessons.

2. Cultural

 the identity of the culture to which a person belongs in

 the feeling or sense of belongingness to a group

 a collective sense of companionship that involves the same beliefs, interests, and fundamental
principles of living

Example: In the Philippines, the Agta tribe has been practicing a unique culture for centuries. Old
men wear the bahag, a unique style of clothing. They prefer to stay in the forest than to stay in
lowlands. They mainly look for natural food sources.

Study the chart that further explains the two types of identity.

Discipline
 a way of behaving that expresses a willingness to obey rules or laws

 behavior that is judged by how well a person follows a set of rules or orders

Kinds of Discipline
Discipline is categorized into different types.

1. Discipline of Nature or Reality

A person meets this kind of control every time he or she tries to do something. A person learns to do
things on his or her own without the supervision of others.

Example: Ryan rented a bicycle near his town. He does not know yet how to ride the bike. He fell
many times, but he did not stop trying. He was so motivated to learn how to ride the bike that he tried
to learn on his own, and eventually, he was able to ride it.

2. Discipline of Culture or Society

What this discipline instills in every culture is distinct, different, and unique. A person learns
according to what he sees in his society or his culture.

Example: Mika wears the trendiest dresses these days. She wears them so she can be “in” with the
latest social trends.

3. Discipline of Superior Force

This discipline is the opposite of the discipline of nature or reality. In this training, a person learns
through supervision and guidance.

Example: A single mother raised Patricia. Her mother always reminded her not to fall in love
because of her personal idea that men are cheaters. Even if Patricia does not know how it feels to be
brokenhearted, she does not entertain any suitor.

Development of Personal Identity and

Aspirations
Personal identity develops in many ways, depending on preferred directions.

 It may be through enculturation and socialization.

 It may also come through observation of a role model.
 You tend to imitate a successful person that leads to changes in personality.
 Your personal identity may change and eventually, you may develop a clear sense of yourself.

Aspiration is a strong desire and ambition with which someone is motivated to work hard.

Example: Rico at 20 years old identified himself as a happy-go-lucky guy. He might discover that, at
35 years old, he is a different person. Perhaps he is living a good life with his family. He would like his
children to have a comfortable life in the future.

Keypoints
 Enculturation is the process by which an individual adopts the behavior patterns of the
culture in which an individual is immersed.

 Socialization is the process through which people learn to understand the societal norms,
expectations, and values as a member of the society.

 Identity formation starts when you learn to socialize and be aware of the culture, behaviors,
language, morals, and norms of where you belong in.

 Identity is the total knowledge and understanding of a person of who he or she is.

 Discipline is the control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed and
punishing bad behavior.

 Aspiration is a strong desire and ambition with which someone is motivated to work hard.
 Becoming a Member of SocietyEnculturation/Socialization: Norms and Values

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 define and explain different concepts of norms and values,

 discuss the relations and functions of norms and values, and
 prove that norms and values are essential factors in the development of one’s self, others, and
the community as a product of enculturation and socialization.

What characteristics should a person demonstrate to be considered as a useful member of society?

For society to function well, it must be guided by cultural principles of behavior to maintain stability,
peace, and harmony. Every society has its set of accepted norms and values of its culture that is
socially accepted.

Norms
Norms are standards or sets of accepted behaviors that a person is expected to follow or exemplify in
the society where he or she belongs in. It pertains to specific guidelines of conduct in society that
guides its members on how to act in particular situations.

Classification of Norms
Norms can be classified in many ways. Norms are either formal or informal.

Norms are also categorized by their relative importance to society. This classification is distinguished
from the intensity of feelings they initiate and the consequences that flow from violations of them.

Folkways
They are the customs of people that came from repetition and routines.

Examples:

 the practice of waiting in line

 courtesy to older people

Mores
 stricter than folkways
 determines what is the moral and ethical behavior
 dictates what is right and wrong
Examples:

 religious doctrines such as the prohibition of pre-marital sex

 the belief that forms of discrimination and suppression are unethical (e.g.racism and sexism)

Taboos
 very strong negative norms
 strict prohibition of certain behaviors that society holds firmly
 violating it results in extreme disgust or expulsion from the group or society

Examples:

 cannibalism
 incest

Laws
 formally instituted by the government
 exist because its violation can result in injury or harm to other members of society
 impose sanction on people who disobey the authority

Examples:

 curfews for minors

 laws against domestic violence

Values
Values refer to the abstract idea of people about what is necessary or worthwhile. Values are general
guidelines that are fundamental parts of our lives. They stand for the things we believe in. Most of the
values we have are learned from family, friends, school, media, and other sources in society.

Classification of Values
Values can be classified into two types.

1. Individual Values

These values are those that are connected with the development of human personality.

Examples: honesty, loyalty, honor

2. Collective Values

These values are those that are connected with the development of unity in the community or society.

Examples: equality, justice, solidarity

Relationship Between Norms and Values

Here are some significant relationships between norms and values.
Functions of Social Norms and Values
Values are general guidelines which govern our daily behavior. They are the guidelines for our
judgments, thereby playing a vital role in the maintenance of stability and harmony in society.

Norms are specific guidelines which allow us to function or act appropriately in society. They are a
set of behaviors that is perceived to be acceptable to its members. Following norms results in social
order and gives a feeling of security, safety, and harmony.

Social norms and values perform the following primary functions:

Keypoints
 Norms are the standard or accepted behaviors that a person is expected to follow in society.
They are either formal or informal.
 Norms are also classified by their relative importance to society. They
are folkways, mores, taboos, and laws.

 Values may be explained as measures of goodness or desirability. They are classified as

either individual values or collective values.

 Values provide the justifications for accepting or rejecting specific norms.

  Norms and values are critical factors in the development of one’s self, others, and the
community as a product of enculturation and socialization.

Becoming a Member of SocietyEnculturation/Socialization: Statuses and Roles

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 define and explain the different concepts regarding statuses and roles as part of the social
structure,

 identify statuses and roles played by oneself and others in the community, and

 evaluate the impact of the various statuses and roles of people for the attainment of society's
goals.

You have a friend named Paulene, a 30-year-old Filipino-Indian female from New Delhi. She grew up
in slum areas. Paulene knew at an early age that she wanted to be a lawyer. She graduated from
college with flying colors and was eventually accepted as a scholar at a prestigious law school. Now, at
the age of 30, she works as a lawyer in a private company in the United Kingdom. It was there that she
met her better half with whom she has four children.

 Can you name Paulene’s roles and statuses?

 What typical roles and statuses do people play in society?

Statuses
Our society is guided by a network of similar statuses and roles that govern human interactions that
we call social structure. It also refers to the manner in which society is arranged into predictable
interactions.

Status
 describes the position an individual occupies in a particular setting, in a group, or in society
 defines and clarifies the rights and obligations expected from a person

Example: a farm boy, a teacher, a human rights defender

Classifications of Statuses
There are three kinds of statuses.

1. Ascribed Status

 a position a person holds in a social system that one attains involuntarily or by birth
 inherited and not based on the person’s abilities, accomplishments, or efforts
 can be rigid and unchanging since it is given to a person when he is born and is often
involuntary

Example: a Filipino national, a male or a female, a king or a queen, a son of a vendor, a firstborn

2. Achieved Status

 a position one holds in a social system that one attains based on merit or effort
 acquired due to unique skills, knowledge, or abilities, and are based on standards that can be
controlled
 a position that has been earned or chosen and is mostly dictated by abilities, skills, and life
choices

Example: a student, an employee, a doctor, an artist

3. Master Status
  the greatest role in a person’s life that determines social identity and general position in society
 can be based on any status, such as gender, ethnicity, economic status, religious or spiritual
tradition, employment status, or family responsibility such as a parent or grandparent
 may come with a sense of prestige for some−the consensus from the community around them
that a status is to be desired

Example: a CEO, an activist, a Pope

The chart shows the differences among the three statuses.

Roles
 expectations that are set for a person given the status he or she occupies

 pertains to the norms, behaviors, values, and personal characteristics that are attached to the
status of the person

Examples:

 Status: student

Roles: attending classes, studying lessons, communicating with the teacher

 Status: teacher

Roles: teaching, giving feedback, assessing or evaluating the performance of the students

 Status: call center agent

Roles: answering questions, solving problems, researching information

The chart below shows the different statuses and their corresponding roles.

Role Exit and Role Conflict

What are some issues concerning roles?
Role exit pertains to the course of disengaging a person from his or her role that is essential to his or
her self-identity.

Example: when a person retires from a long career and must shift from the role of an employee with
responsibilities to someone just living a comfortable life, or when an individual becomes a parent and
has to change their lifestyle.

Role conflict arises when incompatible expectations occur from two or more statuses that a person
is occupying. Performing the assigned role of one status makes it challenging for the person to play
the assigned role of another status.

Example: It is very challenging for a woman to be the best mother to her children and the best
employee to her company all at the same time.

The Impact of Statuses and Roles in

Attaining Society’s Goals
As members of society, people acquire statuses and roles which are necessary for socializing within
their society. These statuses and roles are important elements in the process of socialization because
they serve as agents for the fulfillment of society’s goals.

We are all encouraged to fulfill the roles of the statuses we are occupying at present and in the future
stages of our lives for us to be better members of the community.

Keypoints
 Status refers to the particular position that a person occupies in a particular scenario or setup.

 Roles refer to the norms, customs, values, and personal characteristics that are attached to the
status of the individual.

 Ascribed status is a position a person holds in a social system that one attains involuntarily
or by birth.

 Achieved status is an acquired position due to unique skills, knowledge, or ability and are
based on standards that can be controlled.

 Master status pertains to the status of the person which determines his or her general
position in society.

 Role conflict takes place when two or more statuses are incompatible.

 Role exit pertains to the course of disengagement of a person from his or her role that is
essential to his or her self-identity.

Becoming a Member of SocietyConformity and Deviance: Social Control

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

 explain the inevitable existence of conformity, deviance, and social control in the social
processes of our everyday lives,

 discuss the significant part or role of gossip, social ostracism, laws, and punishments to social
control,

 analyze the societal goals and socially acceptable means to survive,

 and discuss the consequences of defying and conforming to social order.

Suppose that in one exclusive school, it is the norm for students to be at their best behavior at all
times while inside the school premises. All students therefore continuously make an effort to maintain
their grace, poise, and good appearance in order to avoid any sanctions.

Liz, a difficult and problematic student, transferred to the same school last year. In just one year of
stay, she was able to set up at least 5 pranks on her classmates and teachers. Despite being punished
for several times, she still cuts classes and comes to school not wearing the prescribed uniform. There
was also a time when she punched two of the school's guards because they did not let her vandalize
the principal's office. Liz's classmates do not want to be friends with her because of her behavior. They
call her "Crazy Liz" behind her back.

Analyze the scenario.

 What qualities characterize conformity and deviance?

 How does deviance affect a person's social status?
 Will actions have an effect on social status if they were unintentional?

Conformity and Deviance

In our everyday lives, we notice that there are specific standards for our actions, simple or complex,
set by society. People tend to have different responses with these imagined pressures depending on
their upbringing, values, or ideals. These reactions are called conformity and deviance.

Conformity
 is linked to the obedience of a person to the norms in order to be acceptable in a particular
society, group, or social setting

Example: The majority of the class members, through a group consensus, agreed to accept the
proposal.

Deviance
 is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct, expectations, or norms of a
particular group or society

Example: There are power struggles among netizens who disagree on the re-imposition of the death
penalty.

Social Control
It is believed that society must have a social order to function smoothly. The social order includes
social standards, laws, rules, and norms which are set by society, whether they are by the majority or
by a hierarchy. Ideally, people must exhibit social order, but in reality, no society succeeds in getting
all its members to behave as expected all the time. If social order is seen as the only way for
communities to survive, they must have ways of making people conform to social norms.

Social Control Theory

 This is based on the idea that a person's fundamental belief system, values, morals,
commitments, and relationships promote a protected environment.

 Oftentimes, individuals who have these beliefs and commitments have a level of self-control
over their actions.

 It examines or evaluates how society affects criminal behavior.

 It emphasizes the idea that when people are involved and in contact with their community,
they are less likely to perpetrate criminal acts.
Gossip, Social Ostracism, and Laws and
Punishments
Failure to embrace the accepted norms and values of society or inability to perform the roles of a
person’s status may lead to consequences in the form of gossip, social ostracism, and laws and
punishments.

Gossip
 refers to the idle talk or rumors about the personal or private matters of others
 may lead to the discrediting of the reputation of the subject

Social Ostracism
 refers to the exclusion of an individual from being socially accepted
 includes the removal of social privileges and friendship with the general members of the
society
 a result of one's actions that give him or her an impression of not being a worthy member of
that society

Laws and Punishments

Laws refer to the set of rules by the government to regulate the way in which society behaves.

Punishments pertain to the pain, penalty, or suffering that is imposed on a person who violates a
law.

People learn the mechanisms of social control through interactions with other people. Couples who
are expected to have a respectable family choose not to quarrel out loud to avoid being talked about
around their neighborhood.

An individual will conform with his peers to avoid social rejection or ostracism. To avoid punishment,
people must follow the law.

Social Processes and Relationships

The illustration below shows the social processes and relationships of deviance, conformity, and social
control.

In the given scenario earlier, the school was the representation of society−the students were the
conformists and Liz was the defiant one. The school had particular rules and standard of behaving,
and Liz's actions caused disturbance within the school. They did not only cause chaos, but they also
led Liz to be stigmatized.
Negative sanctions will be given to people who exhibit deviant acts, while effective sanctions will be
given to those who observe or conform.

Tip
Note that deviant behavior is relative. A particular society may consider a certain behavior deviant,
but the same behavior may be acceptable in another society.

Keypoints
 Conformity is linked to the obedience of a person to the norms that are acceptable in a
particular society, group, or social setting.

 Deviance is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct, expectations, or

norms of a particular group or society.

 Social control theory is based upon the idea that an individual's underlying belief system,
values, morals, commitments, and relationships foster a proper environment.

 Social order is considered to be the only solution to achieve societal survival and social
control. Conformity is the only way to achieve this.

 Gossip, social rejection or ostracism, and laws and punishments are forms of social
pressures that contribute to the exhibition of social control.

 Deviance, conformity, and social control are always present in a given society or group.
These are not limited to a high number of people but to a group that is capable of setting
standards, rules and norms.

Becoming a Member of SocietyConformity and Deviance: Forms of Deviance

Objectives
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

 describe deviance as explained by the Structural Strain Theory, and

 identify the forms of deviance.

 What causes deviant responses or behaviors as explained by the Structural Strain Theory?
 What are the different forms of deviance?

Conformity and Deviance

The concept of conformity is linked to the obedience of a person to the norms to be acceptable in a
particular society, group, or social setting.

Deviance, on the other hand, is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct,
expectations, or norms of a particular group or society.

Note that deviant behavior is relative. A particular society may consider a certain behavior deviant,
but the same behavior may be acceptable in another society.

Deviance as Explained by the Structural

Strain Theory
The forms of deviance are the responses or adaptations by people in a society caused by the imbalance
or “strain” between the valued goals in the society and the legitimate or acceptable means to achieve
such goals. This idea is taken from the Structural Strain Theory conceptualized by sociologist
Robert K. Merton. Two variables taken into account in this theory are valued goals and legitimate
means to achieve goals.
Valued Goals
These are goals that are defined by society as valuable, or simply, the goals that are typically pursued
in a society.

Example: financial success

Legitimate Means to Achieve Goals

These are the acceptable ways people can do to achieve such valued goals in a society.

Example: get a good education

Types of Adaptation
In our everyday lives, we would notice that there are actions considered to be legitimate or acceptable
for a particular society toward achieving valued goals.

While people usually conform to legitimate or acceptable means to achieve goals, there are people
who will not. One reason for this is because the legitimate means are just not available for them, and
so unequal opportunities exist to achieve these goals. Merton identified five typologies of how people
adapt to their value system or the goals-means dynamics of their respective society.

These typologies are:

 conformity–accepts goals and the institutionalized, acceptable or legitimate means of

obtaining them,
 ritualism–rejects goals and accepts or adheres to institutionalized means of obtaining them,
 retreatism–rejects both goals and means of obtaining them,
 rebellion–creates new goals and new means of obtaining them, and
 innovation–accepts goals and rejects institutionalized means of obtaining them.

Ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, and innovation are forms of deviance.

Forms of Deviance
Merton conceptualized four responses that are considered deviant and caused by a strain or
imbalance between valued goals and legitimate means in a particular society.

Ritualism
Ritualism is exhibited when someone rejects traditional cultural goals but still adheres to the
culturally approved methods or rules for making progress towards the same goals.

Example: An employee still stays in his job even though he is aware that it is a dead-end job. In
ritualism, people experience feelings of despair and anomie (social instability) that result to
modification or abandonment of the idealized cultural goals, but still persist at a ritualized,
unfulfilling line of work.

Retreatism
Retreatism is the response that rejects or abandons both cultural goals and the institutionalized or
legitimate means for attaining them.

Example: Examples of people who exhibit retreatism are drug addicts and alcoholics. The ultimate
form of retreatism is suicide.

Innovation
Innovation entails the acceptance of the valued goal but the rejection of legitimate or
institutionalized means to achieve them (resorting to criminal or delinquent acts).
Example: An example of this is when a person wants a nice car but does not have enough money, so
he steals money from the bank. Some people may resort to stealing or dealing drugs to achieve
cultural goals.

Rebellion
Rebellion not only rejects the valued goals and the legitimate means of the established society but
also actively attempts to substitute new goals and means. This can be applied to political deviants who
attempt to modify the existing structure of society.

Example: Examples for this are neo-Nazis and other hate groups. The rebels will publicly
acknowledge their intention to change the norms and the social structure.

The table below summarizes Merton’s typology of individual adaptations.

Legend:

 "+" signifies acceptance

 "–" signifies rejection
 "+ and -" signifies rejection of prevailing goal or means and substitution of new goal or means

Tip
A person can exhibit different types of adaptations depending on the situation. He or she might be a
conformist in school, following all the rules, while also being an innovator when it comes to his or her
interests. A person’s response and adaptation is not always linear. It clearly depends on how the
person weighs the situation according to his or her needs.

Keypoints
 Conformity is the obedience to the norms that make a person acceptable to a particular
society, group, or social setting.
 Deviance is the non-conformity or violation of the standards of conduct, expectations, or
norms of a group or society.
 Robert K. Merton developed the Structural Strain Theory to explore how people respond to
cultural values and how they are supposed to achieve them.
 There are five typologies of how people adapt to the value system of their respective society
and these are conformity, ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, and innovation.
 The four forms of deviance are ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, and innovation.
 A person’s response or adaptation is not always linear. It clearly depends on how the person
weighs the situation according to his or her needs.