| Sociologist Herbert Mead developed a theory | | | | greatest impact on an individual's |
| known as social behaviorism, which helped | | | | socialization abilities. When an individual |
| explained why past social experiences help | | | | is an infant they have no control and usually |
| form an individuals' personality. Mead did | | | | rely on their parents and family members to |
| not believe that personality was developed by | | | | help nurture them. Through family they learn |
| drives or biologically, but more on terms | | | | several of communication techniques such as |
| socially. He stated that the self only | | | | trust, culture, and beliefs. Don't get me |
| developed when people interact with one | | | | wrong, not all learning comes solely from |
| another. Without the interaction of other | | | | family; they can come from the environment as |
| people an individual can't develop a | | | | well because in a lot of cultures they use |
| personality. An example of this is if a child | | | | the environment to help raise a child. I |
| is left in total isolation for a long period | | | | guess the saying is true in which it takes a |
| of time then they don't mature both | | | | "village to raise a child." It may not be |
| physically or mentally. | | | | surprising to you that different social |
| | | | classes tend to raise their children |
| Next, social experience is crucial, and this | | | | differently. |
| includes the exchange of symbols. Only people | | | | |
| attach meanings to words and symbols. If you | | | | An interesting survey that happened in the |
| tell a dog to sit and it obeys then you may | | | | United States compared what a lower class |
| give it a snack. However, this doesn't mean | | | | family would want in a child compared to that |
| it knows why to sit down, but it does so to | | | | of an upper class family. A lower class |
| get food. You can tell a dog to sit for | | | | family would usually favor obedience and |
| numerous of reasons such as wanting to | | | | conformity while an upper class family would |
| impress your friends, or to calm it down | | | | tend to favor creativity and good judgment |
| because it is running all over the place. | | | | (NORS, 2003). Have you ever wondered why? |
| Also, Mead noted that understanding | | | | Well the reason is lower class workers tend |
| individual intentions is critical. This will | | | | to have jobs that they must be very obedient |
| help us to analyze how an individual will | | | | in and are highly supervised. Subconsciously |
| respond even before we act. For example, | | | | they are gearing their children towards that |
| when we're driving we all anticipate what | | | | route and will even use physical punishment |
| others may do because of experience. If an | | | | to achieve it. In upper class workers they |
| individual behinds you is speeding up rather | | | | tend to have jobs that inspire individuality |
| quickly, then you can assume that they are | | | | and creativity which is very similar to the |
| about to switch lanes, or you can assume that | | | | traits they would like to have in their |
| they are in a rush and need to get somewhere | | | | children. |
| quickly. Mead refers to this as taking | | | | |
| another individual's role. | | | | School also has a large effect on an |
| | | | individual's personalities. If you think |
| Another important theory that is related to | | | | about it you spend a huge chunk of time each |
| social behaviorism is the looking-glass self. | | | | day at school. It's also interesting to note |
| This is basically like mirroring what we | | | | that children tend to play with people as the |
| think others think of us. If we think others | | | | same race and gender, and that boys are more |
| view you as being "good looking," then you | | | | physical and aggressive while girls are more |
| will see yourself as being good looking, or | | | | well behaved. Boys also tend to find abstract |
| if you think people think that you are fat | | | | activities more interesting like video games |
| then you will have that image of yourself. | | | | and girls tend to be more artistic. The same |
| People take the roles of other people during | | | | thing follows when they get to college |
| development. Infants have very little | | | | because boys tend to major in physical |
| knowledge so they tend to mimic others. | | | | sciences, and computing while girls usually |
| Children often have creative minds and take | | | | major in humanities and arts. In school is |
| on roles of other significant others or | | | | where children discover peer groups or |
| people such as parents that have a special | | | | individual that has similar interest as |
| importance in their social development. | | | | themselves. |
| For example, children will play house in | | | | |
| which someone will take the role of a mother | | | | People tend o indemnify more with their peer |
| while another take that of a father. As they | | | | groups and can have conversations about |
| age children will learn to take various roles | | | | things they understand like clothes, music, |
| and adjust to their surroundings. As we | | | | and style. Peer groups are a way for |
| continue to age we will continue to see | | | | individuals to escape adult supervision, and |
| changes in our social life. | | | | people are usually more out spoken in peer |
| | | | groups. During the adolescent years people |
| There are a lot of critics of Mead's theories | | | | tend to identify more with their peer groups |
| and some claim that he focus too much on the | | | | because they identify themselves as an adult |
| society in developing an individual's | | | | and that is also a time in which parents are |
| behavior. Another sociologist Erik H. Erikson | | | | concerned about who their children hang |
| stated that unlike Freud who believed that | | | | around because they know that who they hang |
| personality was pretty much set in stone in | | | | around influence their behavior deeply. |
| the first couple of years of an individual's | | | | During these years the mass media heavily |
| life, that personality changes in stages and | | | | affects individuals as well. Studies have |
| occurs all the way up to death. His theory is | | | | showed that television have made people more |
| not all that accurate as well, because people | | | | passive and lessoned their creativity. In |
| experience changes in different orders and | | | | the United States we spend he most time |
| time. Through all of the disagreements, | | | | watching television and own the most T.V sets |
| sociologists generally agree on this main | | | | per household. |
| idea, and that is that the family has the | | | | |