Sociology 100: Writing Assignment #1
John Ratliff
In a general sense the term
socialization refers to the process whereby an individual learns and acquires
the value systems, beliefs, behavioral norms and personality attitudes of a
specific culture. How we interact with our environment and other individuals,
and how we view ourselves within our immediate context, reflects the
socialization processes that we have experienced. Families and schools are some
of the initial agents of socialization
that we encounter. In these institutions certain norms and beliefs are taught
and socially reinforced, while at the same time other norms and value systems
are actively discouraged or even punished. The socialization process can be both
very explicit (such as a parent or teacher stating a rule or social norm) or
implicit (such as non-verbal role modeling). For society as a whole,
socialization is the means by which one generation transmits culture to the
next.
In this paper you should
tell the story of your unique socialization process. Using the concepts you’ve
learned, especially in Chapter Five, you should reflect upon and analyze your
own socialization experiences that have contributed to your developing into the
person that you are today, with the personality, values and aspirations that you
have. This short paper should be written in essay format, be at least 3
pages long (can be longer), double spaced with approximately 1-1.25 inch
margins.
1) In the first section of
the paper, briefly write a little about yourself and begin to introduce us to
your own more local social milieu or
micro-environment. In this section
should include where you grew up, a brief description of your family, the kind
of schools you attended, childhood activities, current interests, and
aspirations. You should also begin to introduce your connections to broader
social structures by talking about your social identity, including your gender,
race/ethnicity, and economic social class, and how you were socialized into your
understanding of these. Try to put all of this in social and cultural context,
and weave sociology into your story. If you like, you can introduce any other
pertinent information that you think is important to your identity and/or life
chances. In particular, using what you learned in Chapter Five, analytically
describe your own socialization experience.
2) In the second section of
the paper, write about a particular aspect of your socialization. Choose an
element of your socialization (could be a person or an institution
EXCEPT YOUR PARENTS) that you
think was central to your socialization and that has been very important to who
you have become, your core values, your major interests, or your aspirations.
This can be either someone or something that had a positive influence on you, or
a negative one, a “cautionary tale.” In a few paragraphs what ideas, norms,
value systems and behaviors were reinforced to you, who provided you with these
messages, and how they were conveyed (role-modeling, explicit/implicit social
learning, etc). Do you remember how you reacted to or thought about these
messages and methods, or if you even noticed them as being taught to you?
Connect your experience to what we have read and talked about in class. Try to
avoid presenting an overly idealized
view of your experience: (“I have the best parents in the world and that’s why
I’m such a great person.”)
You need to show your
knowledge of sociological concepts that you've learned by applying them to your
story. You should use the sociological concepts you've learned in class to
describe your own life experience.
* In particular, you are
required to apply the ideas of at
least one of the thinkers reviewed in Chapter 5 (Freud, Piaget, Mead, Erikson,
etc.) to your own socialization story. Show your understanding of the thinker(s)
involved in doing this.
Note: all information
supplied in this paper will be strictly confidential.
PAPER WILL BE DUE ON CANVAS BY 11:59PM ON OCTOBER 22.