Review chapter three and respond to the following questions related to the key perspectives on socialization: 1. In you your words, describe the key teachings of the following social scientists on soc

ESSENTIALS OF SOCIOLOGY, 7 TH EDITION CHAPTER 3: SOCIALIZATION, THE LIFE COURSE, A ND AGING 1 CHAPTER SUMMARY Please revie w the ent ire chapter to gain a more comprehensive view and un ders tanding of the subject matter . Do n ot rely solely on the ch apter summar y. How Are Children Socialized? • Socialization is the process whereby, through contact with other human beings, the helpless infant gradually becomes a self -aware, knowledgeable human being, skilled in the ways of the given culture and enviro nment and contributes to the phenomenon of social reproduction . • According to G. H. Mead, the child achieves an understanding of being a separate agent – a social self - by seeing how others behave toward him or her in social contexts. At a later stag e, ent ering organized games, learning the rules of play, the child comes to understand "the generalized other "— general values and cultural rules. • Charles Horton Cooley argued that the notions we develop about ourselves reflect our interpretations of how ot hers s ee us. His theory of the looking -glass self proposes that the reactions we elicit in social situations create a mirror in which we see ourselves. • Jean Piaget distinguished several main stages – sensorimotor stage , preoperational stage , concrete oper ationa l stage , and the formal operational stage - in the development of the child's capability to make sense of the world. Each stage involves the acquisition of new cognitive skills and depends on the successful completion of the preceding one. According to Pia get these stages of cognitive development are universal features of socialization. • Agents of socialization are structured groups or contexts within which significant processes of socialization occur. In all cultures, the family is the principal socia lizing agency of the child during infancy. Other influences include peer groups , schools , work , and the mass media . • Through the process of socialization and interaction with others, individuals learn about social roles — socially defined expectations that a person in a given social position will follow. One result of this process is the development of a social identity , the characteristics that other people attribute to an individual. If social identities mark ways in which individuals are the same as others, self -identity sets us apart as distinct individuals. The concept of self -identity, which draws on symbolic interactionism, refers to the process of self -development through which we formulate a unique sense of ourselves and our relationship to the world a round us. ESSENTIALS OF SOCIOLOGY, 7 TH EDITION CHAPTER 3: SOCIALIZATION, THE LIFE COURSE, A ND AGING 2 • Gender socialization begins virtually as soon as an infant is born. Even parents who believe they treat children equally tend to respond differently to boys and girls. These differences are reinforced by many other cultural influences and process es of gender learning. • Also being explored is the process of race socialization , referring to the verbal and nonverbal messages that older generations transmit to younger generations regarding the meaning and significance of race, racial stratification, in tergro up relations, and personal identity. What Are the Five Major Stages of the Life Course? • Socialization continues throughout the life course. At each distinct phase of life individuals learn new skills and norms to help them navigate their social role s. How Do People Age? • Biological, psychological, and social aging are not the same and may vary considerably within and across cultures. • Functionalist theories of aging originally argued that the disengagement of older persons from society was desirable. D isen gagement theory held that older adults should pull back from their traditional social roles as younger people move into them. Activity theory, on the other hand, soon came to emphasize the importance of being engaged and busy as a source of vitality. • Confl ict theorists of aging have focused on how the routine operation of social institutions produces various forms of inequality among the older. • The most recent theories regard the older as capable of taking control over their own lives and playing an act ive role in politics and the economy. What Are the Challenges of Aging in the U.S.? • The older population in the United States is very diverse in terms of age, race, ethnicity, place of birth, education, and social class. One of the most important sources o f difference is age; the young old, old old, and oldest old vary widely in terms of their health and economic well -being. • Most older persons in U.S. society manage to lead independent lives that they report to be satisfying and fulfilling. Still, some suff er from social isolation and costly medical problems, as well as from prejudice and discrimination based on age.