CHAPTER 3

BECOMING A MEMBER OF SOCIETY

“The human mind at birth is nothing but a blank slate or tabula rasa.”- John Locke

SOCIALIZATION

 -Refers to the lifelong process of social interaction through which people acquire their identities
and necessary survival skills in society.
 -In early age of American sociology, the process of socialization was equated

with civilization.

 -Then it was tantamount to “taming” individualists.

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION

 A process which enables the development of citizens to function effectively within a particular
political system.

INTERNALIZATION

 Refers to the process of accepting social norms, attitudes, roles and values transmitted by
people and social groups within society as one’s own.

THREE SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF SOCIALIZATION

1. SOCIAL CONTEXT – refers to the particular circumstances of a society.

2. CONTENT – refers to ideas, beliefs, behavior and other information that are passed on by
members of society.
3. RESULTS - refer to outcomes of socialization.

SELF IDENTITY – which refers to the establishment of a unique sense of identity and an awareness of
how it relates to their society and the world.

ENCULTURATION – to describe a process of being socialized into a specific culture.

AGENT OF SOCIALIZATION AND ENCULTURATION

1. THE FAMILY

 The primary agent of socialization of an individual upon birth, throughout infancy, and up to
childhood.

 Nuclear Family and Extended Family

2. SCHOOLS

 Schools teach students important values like competitiveness, cooperation, conformity,

innovation, punctuality, orderliness and respect for the authority.

 Public, private, technical-vocational and alternative schools.

  Schools have critical and active role in socialization. Sectarian and nonsectarian schools.

3. PEER GROUPS

 Refers to people who share the same interests, characteristics such as age and social
background.

 Most part are formed by informal, spontaneous and voluntary means.

 Sense of belongingness because of mutual support, shared activities and identities.

4. MASS MEDIA

 Includes form of communication such as books, magazines, newspapers other print materials
radio, television and movies.

 It is the most powerful agent of socialization which is widely used by many institutions and
organizations involved in the use of print and electronic communication.

MODELS OF MEDIA

 PLURALIST MODEL – portrays media as an ideological marketplace that enhances debate and
electoral choice
 MARKET MODEL – suggest that the media reflects the views of the general public, and that
media presents what they think the people want.
 DOMINANT- IDEOLOGY MODEL – traces this bias to link between media and the political and
social elite.
 ELITE VALUES MODEL – recognizes media bias as the product of personal views of media
professionals such as journalists, broadcasters and editors

5. RELIGION AND STATE

 Both religion and state are considered the ultimate sources of authority, making the church and
government important agent of socialization.

 Religions exerts a great influence on the views of a person.

 State defines and limits the influence of religion on society through laws, regulations and other
means.

6. Major Social and Historical Events

 The changes and development brought about by historical events often cause transformations in
values, attitudes and views that define a society.

 World War II, Martial Law & People Power

CONFORMITY

 Refers to the process of altering one’s thoughts and actions to adapt to the accepted behavior
within his or her group or society.
THREE TYPES OF CONFORMITY – HERBERT KELMAN

 COMPLIANCE – refers to the outward conformity to social pressure but privately disagreeing
with it.
 IDENTIFICATION -refers to the adopting certain behavior because it enables an individual to
have a satisfying relationship with the members of his or her groups.
 INTERNALIZATION OR ACCEPTANCE – involves both public compliance and internal acceptance
of the norms and standards imposed by the group. It is the most permanent and deeply-rooted
response to social influence.

DEVIANCE

 Defined as a behavior that elicits a strong negative reaction from group members and involves
actions that violate commonly held social norms.

ANOMIE – a condition where social control becomes ineffective due to the loss of shared
values and sense of purpose in society. – Emile Durkheim

KINDS OF DEVIANCE

1. STRUCTURAL STRAIN THEORY – argues that the tensions and strains between socially-approved
goals and an individual’s ability to meet them will lead to deviance.

2. SUBCULTURAL VIEW -points to the emergence of deviant behaviors within certain groups in
society or subcultures.

3. LABELING THEORY - believes that there is actually no deviance in society; deviance only emerges
when society begins labelling certain actions as deviant or undesirable.

4. CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE – analyses deviance in the framework of competing interests between

social groups and the maintenance of power among the elites.

5. BROKEN WINDOW THEORY – suggest a direct relationship between social disorder and deviance,
and that maintaining even an appearance of order in sufficient to discourage deviance.

SOCIAL CONTROL SANCTIONS

 Defined as any systematic means and practices used to maintain norms, rules and laws; regulate
conflict and discourage deviant behavior.

SANCTIONS

 The most common means of social control and are often employed to address conflicts and
violations of social norms.
 Formal sanctions- provided by laws
 Informal sanctions- imposed by smaller societies, communities or groups.
HUMAN DIGNITY & HUMAN RIGHTS

 Refers to the idea that a person has the innate right to be valued, respected, and treated well.
 Are legal, social, an ethical principles that consider the human person that deserving of liberties
and protections by virtue of his/her human dignity.
 UNIVERSAL –They belong to all human beings regardless of race, religion, gender, and other
characteristics.
 INDIVISIBLE –Various rights are interrelated and given equal importance.
 ABSOLUTE –since they cannot be qualified and are considered basic necessities for living a
genuine life.