Post modernists believe that some aspects of identity can bought, therefore changing how identity is formed. There are many agencies of socialisation which help form identity. The family are primary agents of socialisation, showing us how to act from a young age, giving us gender typical toys to play with and changing the way to speak to different genders i.e. ‘stop acting like a boy!’ Or ‘be man and get on with it!’ Family teaches us to accept our ascribed status, feminists say that from an early age the family socialise girls to be taught to be housewives via the toys they play with. Education and school are also agents of socialisation although it is secondary socialisation.
The cultural aspect of the sociological imagination involves the “learned ideas, values, knowledge, rules and customs shared by members of a collectivity” (Holmes et al, 2003, pg 11). Culture in the sociological imagination allows the comprehension of why people hold certain ideas and values, and follows certain rules and customs. The critical aspect of the sociological imagination stipulates the initiative to analyze. Although it is, by human nature, to assume the meaning of actions carried out by people, C. Wright Mills claims that assumptions are not enough. Through assumptions, many things are taken for granted and the true meaning is not revealed.
Girls, conversely, are encouraged to play with dolls and to be clean. This helps to prepare them for the possibility of motherhood. Often times, nurturing and sensitivity are seen as a feminine quality. The next way children are socialized is usually at school. School serves as a formal socialization for most children.
Q: Chapter Three: How do the opinions of others shape our identities? Consider the concept of the looking-glass self in your answer. A: Not only do our actions shape the individual that we are, but so do the opinions of others. Believe it or not, we are maintained more through the interaction with other people than our very own actions. How can we really know ourselves without the viewpoint from other people?
Psychosocial theory recognises personal and social element of identity however Erikson seen them as interlinked and treated them separately. `Sit` only considered social identity element and explains our identity is entirely dependent on social status of a group an individual belongs to. This essay will firstly consider aspects of history and traditions within two theories. Then it will look how identity is conceptualised within psychosocial and `sit`s` themes, like its fixity and a role of embodiment. Both Erikson`s psychosocial and Tajfels ‘sit’ have some differences as well as similarities and have both equally influenced research on identities, However they have both traditions originating from before their times.
Identity, in terms of social science, is defined as the manner in which human beings associate and label themselves as part of a particular social group. People could categorize themselves into groups according to their nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class and gender to name but a few. Symbolic interactionism aims to identify how an individuals’ identity could influence as well as be influenced by their social environment. In this essay, the approaches to construct identity by Herbert Mead and Erving Goffman will briefly be outlined and discussed. It will then be argued that, although there are differences between Mead and Goffmans’ views on the sociology of identity, they are in some way complementary.
7. Evaluate Social Identity Theory, making reference to relevant studies Social Identity theory was developed by Tajfel (1979) to explain the relationship between social groups. Tajfel believed that social identity is the part of one’s self concept that is driven from the membership of a certain social group they belong to, which also contribute to one’s self-esteem. Examples of social identities may include racial group, nationality, social group and sports group. The three fundamental cognitive processes underlying social identity theory include categorization of our groups and other groups, identification of ourselves with the values and behavior of our groups, and comparison between us and other groups.
There are two major aspects in regards to the sociological perspective, the first being interaction between social structure and an individual and the idea of two levels of analysis. When it comes to the interaction of social structure and the individual, sociologists tend to concentrate not so much on the characteristics of an individuals behavior but rather on the precedents that are collective amongst individuals in regards to society and groups around them. The key to grasping sociology comes from the inevitability and repetition, which are seen in customary social behaviors throughout society and individuals. Social structures are socially embodied in the actions, thoughts, beliefs, and long-lasting temperaments of individual human beings. The typical being often has a
Affecting Factors of Identity Identity could be anything that makes a person identifiable, in terms of having a set of qualities or characteristics differentiate them from unlike qualities. Identity is related to the self-image, self-esteem, and individuality. My Identity helps people and government to recognize me. It makes me different from the rest of the world. The way I look, speak, think, and work creates my identity.
INTRODUCTION There is a strong disagreement on the question whether identities in society are socially constructed or naturally formed. Perhaps the disagreement is because of the common definition of identity. The definition of identity as a “social category” captures almost all groups in our society – those believed to be socially constructed like “engineers as a category of people in society” and those believed to be naturally formed like “religious groups”. This paper will focus on ethnic identity, its formation and how formed ethnic identities affect relations in society. Ethnic Identities are socially constructed.