Agents of Socialization: Analytical Essay

My name is Rafael Nevarez, and I was born in a small-town in Puerto Rico, Rio Piedra. I am one of three children, I have an older brother, a little brother. My role and status in my society includes being a husband, son, dad, Soldier, and student at American Military University.

Growing up in a family of five children, I was born to stand out and succeed to my full potential. Problems and disappointments in my youth were the building blocks and foundation for my strength and willpower to succeed and be a strong Soldier within society. My parents raised us Catholic, and family was of extreme importance. Any reason for a family get together, meant having our immediate family, aunts, uncles, cousins (everyone for that matter) over whether it be the holidays, birthday party, or a typical Saturday night family dinner. It was important for us all to get together, play, socialize, catch up, and most importantly bring the family together.

My mother is a chef, and as a child I dreamed of following her footsteps and becoming a chef myself. I have always had an ardent desire to help others, and a heart full of compassion. I am currently a father of four children, and am just beginning to pursue my dreams of becoming a Chef.

Growing up in a tight-knit family was an incredible experience; however, like many, we had our own downfalls. My father was a Soldier and made a doctor’s degree in education. He always worked hard to provide for us, and he never missed one of my sporting sports events. He is a wonderful grandfather to my kids call him Abu.

As a man, socialization has affected me on the grounds that my adolescents, and educated me on how to feature in my social world. This getting to know manner can arise through the sellers of socialization. The 4 retailers of socialization that practice to me encompass family, college, peer companies, and chef.

Agent of Socialization: Family

Family is the primary agent of socialization and was my first function within society as a toddler. My parents, my maternal grandparents, my siblings, and all my prolonged family have helped me developing up. They’ve taught me how to talk, how to walk, a way to dress, and the way to perceive friends from strangers. Via this agent of socialization, I was able to study and develop with the assistance of my own family. I discovered the expectancies and societal norms within society, and commenced to recognize my position within society.

Both of my dad and mom have more than one university degrees, and strived for my siblings and me to have a right schooling. We had been taught that a good education furnished power and achievement within society. Because the age of parent’s starts off evolved to become more youthful in our technology, they do now not have the right morals and moral values as my figure’s technology. My parents were very strict, and strongly supported the belief that they had been conforming to social norms, and teaching us recognize.

Symbolic Interactions’ was motivated by Max Weber, who believed that industrialization might significantly impact our society (OpenStax, 2017). Weber changed into able to pick out the structure of society as elegance, reputation and power, and this lead to the idea of explanation. Clarification is a society that is centered on effectiveness and motive, which Weber believed is the bottom of society. I suppose that the concept of rationalization can relate to my own family as a sociological agent. My parents believed that being logical and green have been balanced inside our circle of relative’s values. As an instance, being logical supposed following the rules, respecting our elders and using commonplace feel whilst in a difficult state of affairs. Additionally, being green intended being properly organized, cleansing our rooms, being on time, reliable and responsible. These key traits have interaction with my family, however additionally how individuals relate to society.

Agent of Socialization: Peer Groups

During my youngsters, up till cutting-edge, I have applied the agent of socialization known as peer organizations. A peer group is “made from individuals who are comparable in age and social status and who proportion pursuits” (OpenStax). As an infant, I began peer group socialization at my day care, and preschool mastering the societal norms of sharing and growing.

As an early teenager, I started out to recognize how extensive peer companies have been to my private photo. I used to be actively worried in my churches religious schooling program, and used to train the lessons for the more youthful children. Being involved with this software, I used to be able to connect to my church “circle of relatives,” and take part in new activities and groups. I started out to develop courage, awareness and electricity; a new feel of individuality. “Peer agencies offer young people’ first important socialization experience outdoor the area in their households” (OpenStax).

The involvement of peer businesses made me need to be with my friends in preference to my family. Peer stress can also be called having a peer pressure any other character into doing something they would no longer usually do. In my middle teens, I used to be satisfied that I knew the entirety, and developing up felt just like the quality opportunity to have more freedom. I commenced feeling extra peer stress to healthy in, and conform to the norms in society. Peer stress started with easy matters, like going to look a movie past curfew, or a celebration my dad and mom banned me from. Basically, I just desired to have a laugh with my pals and match in, irrespective of the results.

As I started out to develop up, I settled down with my wife, as an Army Soldier. Unexpectedly my instructional dreams were positioned aside, as I supported her career and raised assist her with our four younger youngsters. As I commenced to have a family of my personal, I’ve found out that my friends do not have the equal have an impact on me as they once did; I might as an alternative be with my circle of relatives. I commenced to educate my youngsters to babble, stroll, play, percentage, and the thrill that existence has.

Conformity is conforming to the ideals, attitudes and behaviors to adhere to the social norms. Emile Durkheim have become a functionalist, and he modified into capable of connect that the shared behaviors and person behaviors differed, based totally on morals and the attitudes inside society (OpenStax).

“If I do not submit to the conventions of society, if in my dress I do not conform to the customs observed in my country and in my class, the ridicule I provoke, the social isolation in which I am kept, produce, although in an attenuated form, the same effects as punishment” (OpenStax).

Social blending with friends creates an effective social strength and verbal exchange. Durkheim believed that if one did now not agree to the social and cultural norms within their society they could be in social isolation. It’s far important in all degrees of existence to engage with friends because people gain social and emotional aid with humans that proportion the same values and pastimes

Agent of Socialization: School

Developing up in an own family of 7, my parents set the bar excessive with expectancies and dreams. I usually felt like a failure to my own family, as I did now not pursue schooling in advance like my families “norm,” but as an alternative settled down, and commenced a own family of my personal. Subsequent month I can be thirty years antique, and that I subsequently experience like it is my possibility to comply with my desires and academic dreams of becoming a nurse.

The years that I’ve been a stay at domestic mother, I’d no longer alternate for whatever.

As I get lower back out into the “actual global,” I have discovered what I need to accomplish to live to tell the tale in our present culture. The agent of socialization for school can be described as the theoretical angle of functionalism. As a functionalist, schooling and schooling is essential within societies, and cultural values resource in making treasured selections to higher one’s self. Within the U.S.A., schooling is valued within society and the benefits provide careers and trade talents. It is noted that functionalists examine “culture in terms of values” (OpenStax), and with education being especially valued within my society, it’s miles important for me to be triumphant with my instructional goals.

Agent of Socialization: Executive Chef

The executive chef is another significant agent of socialization. During my profession as an Executive chef, impersonal information can be mass-produced and distributed through the in the food industry. Examples of the food industry, televisions, the newspapers, the radio, and the World Wide Web.

In my younger years my siblings and I watched Disney movies and television on the normal. My favorite TV display became seventh Heaven and saved through the Bell. Both TV series had an influence on my non-public fashion feel; which include my hair styles and the clothes I selected to put on. While thinking about chef, I assume its miles critical to use a sociological imagination, as you are then able to view society as a stranger searching in. Wright mills changed into capable of join a character to culture by means of defining that and photo that our society is the reason for war and problems that stand up in our lives (OpenStax). It’s also vital to understand that way of life is based on relationships, behaviors and interactions inside society, so the use of a sociological creativeness can help recognize the relationships among chef and our society.

Conclusion

The four dealers of socialization that I’ve cited have affected me as an infant, thru my adolescent years, and into my adulthood. Socialization and conforming to societal norms has formed our Society into what it’s far nowadays. Our encounters with social agencies train us of our expectations within society. Sellers of socialization, along with own family, peer agencies, faculty, and executive chef, helps to reinforce values and societal norms.

Socialization in the Book The Outsiders

“The Outsiders” is based on a book by S.E. Hinton, and it is set in Tulsa Oklahoma and it is about two rival gangs the “Greasers” which is the poor, greasy haired kids from the north side of town or the “wrong side of the track’s” kind of kids. Then you have the Socials (usually called the socs) from the South side, which are the more privileged and richer group of kids. The two groups had a rivalry going for many years, but it recently turned deadly when one of the greasers, Jonny, stabs and kills a soc, Bob, in defense of his friend Pony Boy. After this, the rivalry becomes more severe than it is as the socs’ are trying to avenge their friend but the greasers are getting the town to understand that the soc are at fault also. The movie is the epitome of how social groups can define our behavior and how crime and deviance are related to the social group that we are a part of.

A society is defined as “People who share a culture and a territory” (Revel Essentials of Sociology 67), which in these groups the people share a strong bond and have a feeling of codependence within each other. Throughout the movie the boys on both sides have formed such strong social bonds that the thought of losing one of their own makes them have an emotional reaction. An “In-Group” is defined as a group that you belong and have a social identity with, while an “Out-group” is a group that you share no common group and you make share sense of competitiveness or hostility. In “The Outsiders” each group perceives the other group as the Out-group. The feeling of group superiority, until the death of Bob, then they start to question the way they are acting. They start to come to the realization that fighting is not going to solve anything but at the same time they realize that no matter what “a soc will still be a soc, and a greaser will still be a greaser.”

“Conformity” is also very prevalent in The Outsiders especially through a girl named Sherri Valence, more commonly known as Cherry. Cherry is at a drive in sitting next to Pony Boy and Jonny and she enjoys talking to them and considers them to be nice guys. As they are walking home they come across a group from the Socs’ and Cherry and her friends decide to go with them to keep a fight from breaking out, before she leaves she grabs Pony to the side and tells him that if he says hi to her in school and she does not respond to not take it personal as she cannot associate with him in front of other people. Here, it shows that even though she likes Pony, she will give in to her social group by not talking to Pony in school.

“Deviance” is defined as “the violation of norms (or rules or expectations)”, this is very true in our society today as it is in The Outsiders. The town considers the greasers to be deviant because they are dressing differently and fixing their hair a different way than everybody else. This makes them feel as though they fit in to their own crowd and they don’t need the whole town to back themselves up as long as they have each other.

From “The Outsiders” I learned that you cannot judge a person by the way they look or by the way they were raised. The rival that was through the two groups was from way back when issues between certain people that was carried down through generations. If they would have figured out their differences long before that then most of the stuff that happened could have been prevented. You see this in society today, as certain people don’t associate with others depending on their social status or the way they look or if they party. Everyone has social conformity at some point where we just want to associate with the people that are similar to us but in the end that can create issues that could have been resolved to begin with

Digital Socialization in Modern Society

The 21st century is characterized by its integration of technology into every facet of our society. A modern person is surrounded by computers, television, and smartphone screens, with information offered from every imaginable outlet. As a result, people are more educated and connected to the outside world than ever before. This paper will explore the ways in which modernity affected our society.

With the rise of the Internet and citizen journalism, everyone is capable of having a voice and swaying the opinions of millions with solid facts, innovative ideas, and moving imagery. Individuals are capable of communicating with others thousands of kilometers away, eliminating ages-long biases and creating a mutual understanding of one another in terms of politics, ethics, culture, and religion (Smith et al. 1023).

For a modern citizen, borders have become obsolete, and the value of information flow has been fully realized. Nevertheless, while technology fostered greater interconnected between nations and businesses, it also caused the atomization of society on an individual level. While people of the past have been well-integrated into the local community, many young men and women these days do not know the names of their neighbors.

The number of true friends has been shrinking, and physical, social networks have been diminishing. As a result, people become more atomized and vulnerable, unable to cope with difficult situations and defending their rights and opinions on a local level (Smith et al. 1028). They have become easier to manipulate, divide, and control.

It is hard to say which of the eventualities causes greater good or harm to humanity. Some researchers state that with the globalization of the market and the increased capabilities of travel, the attachment to localities and communities has become a historical anachronism (Smith et al. 1023). Others state that physical closeness and a sense of belonging is necessary both for the body and the soul. Humanity should strike a balance between the overarching narrative of the world and local community involvement.

Work Cited

Smith, Jonathan, et al. “Digital Socialization: Young People’s Changing Value Orientations Towards Internet Use Between Adolescence and Early Adulthood.” Information, Communication & Society, vol. 18, no. 9, 2015, pp. 1022-1038.

Student-Athletes and Socialization

Admittedly, many high school student-athletes strive to enter a college or a university to pursue their athletic career (Sanders et al. 23). Many of these students dream of a professional career. Some see their athletic achievements as the way to obtain higher education. However, it is important to note that often college years fall short of student-athletes’ expectations.

One of the greatest issues concerning student-athletes’ education is that this group of students is often isolated. Another problem concerning student-athletes is that they as well as educators often pay little attention to these students’ academic performance.

Thus, student-athletes turn out to be unprepared to become successful members of society as they lack the necessary knowledge and skills while their past athletic achievements are not taken into account any more.

Fortunately, educators have acknowledged the major issues in this sphere and many steps have been made to solve the problem. Thus, many schools implement policies aimed at involvement of student-athletes into the mainstream of students.

Apart from this, specific educational programs and approaches are being designed to improve student-athletes’ academic performance (Schellhase 18). Therefore, student-athletes can be sure that even if they do not pursue athletic career, they will be prepared to find their place in the contemporary world.

Some people believe that athletes can succeed in their sport careers only. Likewise, student-athletes are still often regarded as those who should defend the school’s honor and who are not required to achieve some academic goals. There is still a kind of classification of students where successful students and successful athletes are in different camps.

Nonetheless, this classification leads to unfavorable outcomes especially when it comes to student-athletes. In the first place, student-athletes are often alienated from the rest of the students.

Many student-athletes focus on their athletic performance and often try to succeed in their athletic career at the expense of their academic performance. These students set limits and this becomes quite a difficult problem to solve in their after college life.

Some may argue that student-athletes should only blame themselves as they fail to study properly. However, the problem is much deeper than that. It is necessary to admit that student-athletes often lag behind their fellow students. Nevertheless, it is not about their being too lazy or narrow-minded. Athlete students often have to endure a lot of tension on the part of their coaches.

These young people also face such challenges as “time constraints” and “career choices”, “physical and emotional fatigue”, “institutional policies, discrimination; marginalization” (Simiyu 16). Reportedly, graduation rates “are on increase” nowadays (Simiyu 16).

However, the data also show that student-athletes’ performance largely depends on such factors as race, gender and sport (Simiyu 16). Admittedly, these factors should also be taken into account when developing teaching strategies and educational programs.

Apart from this, student-athletes are expected to achieve certain goals and they simply have no time to attend classes or focus on their academic performance. Besides, many young people are concerned with their present and they do not think of certain future perspectives.

Therefore, educators are responsible for this vulnerable group of students. Educators should make student-athletes understand that their athletic career is only a part of their life and that they need to acquire certain knowledge and skills to fit their future career goals.

Luckily, now educators pay more attention to student-athletes’ constraints. In fact, there have been much done in this sphere so far. In the first place, educators started paying attention to challenges such students have to face (Simiyu 18). This is a great step forward as now educators can shape educational programs to address needs of student-athletes.

For instance, many scholars suggest particular programs that can help student-athletes to improve their academic performance (Schellhase 19). For instance, Schellhase analyzes Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory and tries to adjust it to student-athletes’ needs (19).

By demonstrating potentialities of this approach, Schellhase contributes greatly into the development of specific programs for student-athletes. Such attempts confirm that educators have, finally, started paying more attention to student-athletes’ needs.

It goes without saying that special training programs and teaching approaches alone cannot solve the problem as a lot depends on the students’ commitment. When it comes to student-athletes, there can be no lack in commitment as these people have developed strong volition during their athletic career.

Admittedly, those, who have already achieved considerable results in sport, will have courage to address certain academic challenges. Nonetheless, some students may fail to understand the importance of academic effort. Therefore, educators should be able to explain this matter to student-athletes. Student-athletes should be encouraged to obtain as much knowledge as possible to better fit the rapidly changing world.

In fact, it can be effective to include special course into the curriculum for student-athletes. This course should focus on these students’ career goals. It is essential to show the ways student-athletes can choose. These young people should be told about successful athletes and alumni of different schools. Thus, student-athletes will be aware of successful stories.

Apart from successful stories, students should understand threats and challenges they are likely to face during their college years and their after college life. These challenges include fatigue, drug abuse, isolation, possible failures, etc. Admittedly, when one knows what exactly can happen, he/she is ready to react accordingly.

Therefore, student-athletes should learn more about various situations. Student-athletes should participate in various discussions on such topics. These discussions will help student-athletes to work out their own successful behavioral patterns.

Furthermore, student-athletes should also critically assess their athletic and academic performance (Schellhase 19). They should be able to prioritize their activities when the time comes.

Student-athletes should understand that their college life presupposes acquisition of certain skills. Therefore, student-athletes should always remember about the major academic goals. Admittedly, educators should help these students to remain focused.

On balance, it is possible to state that now educators understand that student-athletes require special attention. More so, educators do pay much attention to this group of students. For instance, scholars work out various educational programs and teaching techniques to address student-athletes’ needs. However, this is not enough as these students should also be encouraged to focus on their academic performance.

They should be ready to face certain challenges in their college years or in their after college life. This will enable young people to better fit the society. It is necessary to note that academic success depends on the student’s commitment.

Luckily, all student-athletes are committed to achieve the highest results in sport and are ready to overcome difficulties. Therefore, educators only need to encourage all of these students to be also committed while pursuing their academic goals.

Works Cited

Sanders, Victoria L., Henry A. Gardner and Jeffery Jones. “Recruitment, Admission, and Retention of First-Year Student-Athletes.” College Student-Athletes: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications. Ed. Daniel B. Kissinger and Michael T. Miller. Charlotte, NC: IAP, 2009. 23-36. Print.

Schellhase, Kristen C. “Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory in Athletic Training Education: A Literature Review.” Athletic Training Educational Journal 2 (2006): 18-27. Print.

Simiyu, Njororai Wycliffe W. “Individual and Institutional Challenges Facing Student Athletes on U.S. College Campuses.” Journal of Physical Education and Sports Management 1.2 (2010): 16-24. Print.

Children’s Socialization

Socialization is a process by which a child is initiated to various roles of the society. The behavior or attitude adopted by the child depends mostly on the background that the child is brought up in. Children accept and adopt the characters portrayed by the person responsible of taking care of them such as parents, teachers and neighbors surrounding the child.

A family forms the smallest unit in which the child’s socialization is initiated. It is observed that various families have various impacts to the socialization of a child (Roberta 129). From the observation carried out in a number of families it was observed that in the family where parents are very close to their children and offered guidance or assistance to the children, discipline them whenever they do something wrong, the child is observed to have morals and respect (Janet 234).

On the other hand, it was observed that in families where the parents have no time to spend with their children, the children are observed to have low morals, independent and self centered.

In the family park it was observed that children behaved and socialized differently, some children were seen to be more jovial and cheerful where others were seen to be lonely and uninterested. Some parents were observed playing games with their children where else other were just seen to have no interest with the games played by the child.

It was observed that those children who parent interacted and assisted them in play games were friendly and had a good social life compared to the child who parents had no time to spend with them in playing games (Roberta 374).

School is another agent of socialization. In the school context, it was observed that teachers and pears play a great role in influencing the socialization process of the child. Teachers act as role models to the children, they adopt teacher characters and attitudes toward life (Roberta 235).

In a class where teachers are friendly and give positive remarks to the children as well as giving them a chance to express themselves, the children were observed to possess positive attitudes towards studies. They also appeared motivated and eager to learn new things. When the teacher proved to be hostile and rebuked the children by giving bad comments, the children were observed to have no interest in their studies and their level of interaction was limited (Roberta 226).

Another agent of socialization that was observed was the church. It was observed that churches where children are taken through church school programs that teach morals and social responsibility have different attitude and behaviors as compared to those children who attended churches that did not have a direct attention to the children (Janet 107). It was also observed that in churches, children are taught how to interact and associate with adults.

They are taught moral concept and how to cope with various situations. The children who undergo church school teachings were seen to be more attracted to the church compared to those who did not attend such teachings (Roberta 108). The former children were also observed to be respectful to adults as well as being being obedient.

It was observed that each setting have an impact on the way the children socialize with other children or adults. Socialization is a process that cannot be initiated by one person, but it is a collective responsibility that requires all stakeholders to play their part accordingly.

Teachers, parents and adults have a great influence on social life of the child. This is so because children were observed to learn behaviors and attitude from them. Thus, it is a duty for all persons who are given the responsibility of taking care of the child to ensure that a child is given the right teaching and attention, as this will determine how the child will be in the future.

Works Cited

Janet Gonzalez-Mena. Child, family, and community: family-centered early care and education. New York. Merrill Pearson. 2009. Print.

Roberta M. Berns. Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and Support. New York: Cengage Learning. 2009. Print.

Socialization Theories and Whistleblowers

Merton’s theory of socialization and the behavior of whistleblowers

Merton’s theory of socialization is concerned with the issue of deviance in society. According to Merton, the failure of social structure is wrongly blamed for people’s autocratic biological initiatives that are not properly managed by social control (672). Merton’s theory involves the notion of anomie and its meaning of confusion created by the conflict of social norms (682). The sociologist identifies five modes of adaptation to societal norms: conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion (Merton 676). The differences between these modes are based on the acceptance or rejection of cultural goals and institutionalized means (Merton 676). According to the author, when a person cannot achieve the desired cultural aims, he or she turns to deviant social behavior.

The ideology proposed by Merton can be employed while explaining the cases of whistleblowers such as Julian Assange from WikiLeaks or business disruptors such as Airbnb. Both these cases can be referred to as instances of innovation according to Merton’s theory. Merton defines innovation as the agreement with the set cultural goals and rejection of how these goals are achieved (676). Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, had a goal of making some secret information available for the masses. However, at the same time, he did not care much about the fact that how he obtained and shared the data were not legal (Domscheit-Berg and Klopp xii-xiv). In the case of Airbnb, a pattern of conduct similar to WikiLeaks’ one may be noted. The company has the aim of providing people with reasonable prices on rented tourist accommodations. Still, Airbnb’s disruptive theory involving illegal mechanisms makes it close to Merton’s innovation mode (Guttentag 1192)

Wrongs view of socialization and the behavior of whistleblowers

Dennis Wrong coined the phrase “overspecialization” in an attempt to criticize the common beliefs of sociologists (183). According to Wrong, social theory should be regarded as several answers to questions inquired about social reality (183). To express his disapproval of the sociologists’ views, the scholar says that they tend to define sociological theory as the formation of formal knowledge that conforms to the logical requirements of scientific views established by methodologists and philosophers (Wrong 183). Wrong identifies two answers to the Hobbesian question of social order (185). The first option is the internationalization of social norms (Wrong 185). The second one is associated with the fact that people are fundamentally motivated by the wish to create a good image by gaining approval of the others (Wrong 185). Wrong considers the sociologists’ explanation of internationalization too much positive and utopistic. He says that sociologists neglect the fact that people may have some personal conflicts during the process of internationalization (Wrong 187).

Wrong’s views, the behavior of whistleblowers can be explained by their unwillingness to conform to the societal norms. People like Julian Assange do what they wish without harmonizing with the rest of society. Out of Merton’s categories, Wrong would find conformity the most oversocialized because those who do not their own opinion and merely do what society dictates to them are excessively socialized (Wrong 187). The best-socialized category among those defined by Merton, according to Wrong, is rebellion (Merton 676; Wrong 187). People who choose this behavior do not find it necessary to follow the majority’s directions and do what they consider best for themselves.

Works Cited

Domscheit-Berg, Daniel, and Tina Klopp. Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange and the World’s Most Dangerous Website. Random House, 2011.

Guttentag, Daniel. “Airbnb: Disruptive Innovation and the Rise of an Informal Tourism Accommodation Sector.” Current Issues in Tourism, vol. 18, no. 12, pp. 1192-1217.

Merton, Robert K. “Social Structure and Anomie.” American Sociological Review, vol. 3, no. 5, 1938, pp. 672-682.

Wrong, Dennis H. “The Oversocialized Conception on Men in Modern Sociology.” American Sociological Review, vol. 26, no. 2, 1961, pp. 183-193.

Socialization: Working with Groups

Increasing socialization among group members

Socialization is critical for group work because the relations between the participants and their involvement in the interactions define whether a task can be successfully accomplished. First of all, socialization can be increased with the help of sharing information about the group members. A strong team can be built when people know at least the most critical information about one another so that they can take into consideration particular norms and ideologies to act accordingly.

It can also be beneficial to start gathering small groups initially so that they consist of people who are friends, siblings, or have similar interests. Having a common basis, they tend to socialize faster (Bailey, 2017). Finally, group members can be taken for a walking meeting. Instead of sitting in a conference room, a group and its leader can enjoy nature while sharing information. This environment is likely to make them more enthusiastic about working and communicating on other topics (Karthik, 2014).

Increasing client to client discussion

Client to client discussion is required when they get in touch with one another with the help of the third party. In order to increase it, this person can list a range of topics/questions to guide the conversation. Thus, clients will know what to discuss, and no awkward pauses will be faced. Clients can be encouraged to share some information about their background, or this data can be provided by the third party. In this way, they will be more open. It can also be advantageous to state the eventual mutual goal of this discussion. Realizing the main purpose, they should be more likely to do their best to fulfill it (Corey, Corey, & Corey, 2014).

How to reduce a client’s over talking

In some cases, it can be rather difficult to communicate with clients because they start talking too much. As a result, it is hard to understand what they really need and how to approach them. In order to reduce talking, a professional can use one of the following strategies. It is possible to interrupt a client, claiming that you are willing to make sure that he/she understood everything correctly. In this way, one can summarize everything mentioned by a client or just ask a couple of questions that can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Depending on the context and relations with a client, one can use a joke to interrupt the speech.

However, it is critical to remember that this approach cannot be used in all situations, regardless of its effectiveness. Finally, it is possible to redirect clients with personal energy. If a person is positively approached, the improvement can be reached when one starts using a similar model of a conversation. Somewhat strict and negative speeches can be approached with the opposite reaction, such as that when one starts speaking quietly (“5 ways to gracefully rein in a client who won’t stop talking”, 2017).

Activities for group closure

Several activities can be used for effective group closure. For instance, individual reflections can be rather advantageous if team members dealt with individual activities within one task. They can share with others what they have done. It is possible to ask them to write down three positive things related to this experience or things they would have done differently and then tell this information to the speaker (Finley, 2015). Kinesthetic closures can also be beneficial. For example, teammates can create a list of accomplished tasks and future goals to take to the office. Circle time can be maintained as people get in a circle, hand a ball to one another, and share what they have done or learned (Redman, 2017).

References

. (2017). Web.

Bailey, E. (2017). Improve your social skills! Web.

Corey, M.S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2014). Groups: Process and practice (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Brooks/Cole.

Finley, T. (2015). . Web.

Karthik, M. (2014). 14 ways to help teams communicate better. Web.

Redman, B. (2017). . Web.

The Cycle of Socialization

Introduction

Socialization is an important aspect of every person’s life which impacts one’s perceptions, choices, and morals among others. It allows to establish a social identity which fits within an inequitable social system, and for many it is critical to adhere to that identity based on race, religion, socioeconomic class and a myriad of other defining characteristics (Harro, n.d.). Following the cycle of socialization introduced by Harro, aspects of my life will be examined to identify the influences which brought me to this point and continue to guide me further.

Decision to Attend University

Various aspects of my life influenced the decision to attend Marquette University. It is an institution which values its religious roots and values. At Marquette University I was able to find my passions in life, pursue any interests, and dedicate myself to a chosen career. The first step of socialization had a great impact on my decision, particularly my family. From an early age, my parents influenced me positively, helping me to establish personal values which reflected my faith as well as humanitarian and ethical contexts. I trusted my family and they entrusted me as well, establishing a comprehensive system of support. It is normal in childhood for family communication patterns and environments to heavily influence the development of particular attitudes, based on parental conformity orientations and social identification (Odenweller & Harris, 2018). As a result, when selecting the university, I was drawn to it because I felt it provided me with the environment that was necessary. I felt the safety, comfort, and trust on a similar level that I did with my family, establishing bonds with my peers and building a future.

Institutional and cultural socialization played a role as well in the selection of this university. Through my church and community, I formed a social identity which valued scholarship and research which was combined with the ethical and societal norms reflecting Christian values. I encountered several alumni in my community who attended the university, which further influenced my pursuit of education at this university. Finally, enforcement and results played a role as I dedicated myself to academics at school and afterward, allowing me to apply and be accepted to Marquette University, extending my scholarly and extracurricular opportunities.

Influences on Course of Study

The institutional and cultural socialization stage in the cycle is probably the most influential in choosing my course of study in philosophy. Social and cultural institutions play a tremendous role in shaping human behavior. The cultural impacts of my background and religion have led me to consider some of the most fundamental questions about my life and overall human existence and morality, which is strongly why I am driven to study philosophy. While such aspects as my religion, community, and socioeconomic class formed my system of beliefs, it also allowed me to have the basic comforts of life so I could consider and focus my thoughts on philosophical topics and pursue my passions. Fortunately, I have not had to face stigmatization or struggles of poverty and racism which would have likely formed different perspectives on society and life. In turn, I am fascinated by this difference, and philosophy and sociology allow me to participate in intercultural communication to gain a broader understanding of the human condition.

Questions

Having the answers to all knowledge and answers is a double-edged sword. At one end, it is positive and provides us with greater control and understanding, but at the other, it limits the process of growth. Perhaps the most important question that most humans face is “Am I following the right path?” Another question would be, “Are the people in my life the right people for me?” Finally, I would ask, “Are my values and morals correct?” These are complex and abstract questions, which cannot arguably be answered with a binary answer. However, an understanding of these concepts within the context of the cycle of socialization can greatly contribute my overall comprehension of association, values, and the future path that I have chosen. There is always an inherent debate of whether an individual has free will or follows a predetermined path. The philosophy of determinism argues that the future is shaped through a combination of past events and natural forces, neither of which a human can influence (Berofsky, 2015). Similarly, the cycle of socialization suggests that actions and choices are somewhat predetermined by influences and social contexts.

Conclusions

It is evident that various aspects and influences in life have greatly contributed to my personal choices in academics. Using the Cycle of Socialization principle developed by Harro, I can examine my life to determine how my identity has shaped within the contexts of life events, interactions, and institutions. Considering that all individuals are continuously immersed in this cycle, based on this knowledge and understanding, I can have greater control of my life and challenge certain conceptions or social identity. As a result, this reflects on my choices and behavior, I either engage with self-destructive and negative emotions or choose to pursue a path that helps disrupt oppression and the status quo.

References

Berofsky, B. (2015). Determinism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Harro, B. (n.d.). The cycle of socialization. Web.

Odenweller, K. G., & Harris, T. M. (2018). Intergroup socialization: The influence of parents’ family communication patterns on adult children’s racial prejudice and tolerance. Communication Quarterly, 66(5), 501–521. Web.

Poor Socialization in the United States

Socialization is an important process for humans. Many aspects of social interactions depend on the successful socialization, especially in the period of early childhood. Nevertheless, the American children of the preschool age tend to show poor results when it comes to socializing (Shaffer 436). While, admittedly, personal approach and parental participation play a part that contributes substantially to the successful outcome, a range of group-based institutional solutions dealing with pre-school curriculum, material basis, and the staff efficiency is advised to address the current situation.

The process of socializing begins in the early infancy when the child’s priorities shift from the individual activities towards accepting a companion other than a parent in play. This stage roughly coincides with the time of admission to the preschool facilities. While the sheer fact of attending a kindergarten is viewed as positive for the socialization process, it does not always guarantee the successful integration into society (Shaffer 435).

The specialists point to several reasons for this. First, the recent tendencies in the kindergarten curriculum have led to the considerable emphasis on the academic development, prioritizing the early exposure to such disciplines as reading, writing, and math. Despite the expected increase in cognitive skills, the studies have shown no such progress compared to children throughout the century (Lansbury par. 2). At the same time, the shift in priorities means the altered schedule, as the increased attention to academics means less time devoted to the development of social skills. Thus, a review of the curriculum is required to restate priorities and distribute time and resources more effectively by eliminating unyielding practices.

The strategies used by the staff also contributes to the lack of socialization. Children at kindergarten are actively forming self-confidence and self-esteem. Both of these are crucial for socializing. Nevertheless, kids often experience shame and are not always rewarded in a way that will encourage the development of these skills. At the same time, the research shows the apparent correlation between the kids’ acceptance by the group and their performance in various aspects of the social activity, such as recognizing and interpreting emotions, appropriate communication, and active cooperation (Shaffer 489).

While this may be viewed as a two-way process, the initial encouragement and reward are still important for kick-starting the development, which, if organized correctly, becomes self-sustainable over time. It is important to note that this strategy is officially recognized and accepted by the preschool teacher community, but the actual performance of certain establishments continue to show up as inconsistent with the official curriculum. The reasons for this are the insufficient training of the staff. Thus, the recommended strategy is the exclusion of human factor by improving the theoretical background and assuring the consistency between the theory and its practical iterations.

Finally, the lack of communication between the educator and the parent often hampers the progress of socializing in the early age. While the effectiveness of the parent-child-educator triad is almost unanimously recognized (Radic-Hozo 343), the actual interaction is usually characterized by the pressure from parents resulting in the alteration of the educational process and, in the long run, decreased socialization (Lansbury par. 5). This drawback can be addressed by establishing transparent and consistent communication between parents and the staff.

To conclude, the current pre-school infrastructure is generally favorable for the development of the kids’ social skills. However, some questionable strategies and the discrepancies between the official educational stance and its practical implementation result in decreased socializing of children. This can be addressed by eliminating the needless academic emphasis in pre-school establishments, proper training of education staff, and establishing the communication between parents and educators.

Works Cited

Lansbury, Janet. . 2010. Web.

Radic-Hozo, Endica. “Communication Patterns in Preschool Education Institutions–Practical Examples.” Materia Socio-Medica 26.5 (2014): 343-347. Print.

Schaffer, David. Social and Personality Development, Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.

Symbolic Interactionism and Socialization

Symbolic Interactionism

When we talk about socialisation, we prefer unambiguous ways of carrying out basic functions like economic production, government, family life, religion, and so on. These basic functions initiate from our biological life cycle, and fulfil the necessity to be fully utilised to that extent where they are useful to the members of any society who teach the young how to carry on the social patterns of that society if cultural continuity and social order are to be maintained. While ending upon our social system, this condition accomplishes the task of what is being called as ‘adaptation’. That means man being a social animal is flexible enough to adapt to the changing or unchanging environment of the society.

Social Adaptation

With reference to S.I. it is true that every society consists of different kinds of ‘full members’ who participate and play their roles accordingly. For instance, nowhere do we find adult males and females performing the same set of tasks or being concerned with the same elements of a society’s ongoing activities (Kerckhoff, 1972, p. 2).

That is true in various situations of not only socially cultured environment but is also true to economic sociological class system of the society in the following manner: When we talk about S.I in the milieu of gender, a female is more exposed towards S.I than male for she has various reasons to demonstrate her ego which includes being status conscious through show-offs. While considering a middle class female, we know that her economic conditions are limited and do not allow her the same freedom as that of an upper class female. Therefore in such conditions where she is unable to afford the same luxuries of life which an upper class female take for granted, she is still satisfied enough to lead her life according to her financial status.

The role played by females in farms enable them to perform their responsibility of mothers towards their children so that farm women have not limited themselves to the expressive roles within the family, but have also seized a greater diversity of economic roles on the farm than their husbands. Farm women not only work in crops, but also tend gardens, raise small animals, process foods, and make clothes or crafts for their families’ own consumption; their surplus can be sold for cash to buy other goods that women cannot produce on the farm-home (Johnson & Wang, 1997, p. 4). This clearly represents the way how human beings are not limited to lead their lives by adapting to the society.

S.I and Human Socialisation

Human beings never lead their lives in isolation or by remaining aloof from their social setting or environment. Societies thus differentiate among different positions or statuses, and the incumbent of any position is expected to carry out specified activities. In this sense, human socialisation is all about different roles which we play as humans in context with the activities that the incumbent of any given position is expected to carry out in relation to some other position in the society. An adult woman normally performs the role of wife and mother, and possibly other roles involving economic, political, or religious activities.

An adult man also has multiple roles, which are different from those of his wife. He works in different environment, at times he is on work while other times he likes to spend his time with his family and kids. Finally, the society actually socializes us, irrespective of our gender and role. Children while they are at school, play different role than the times they are at home or on vacations. Therefore human socialisation is all about ‘differentiation’, which refers us to the notion that not all adult males or adult females, teenagers or kids carry out the same set of roles.

S.I when practiced with socialisation process enables human beings to lead their lives while focusing on the micro structural minuscule details of social life rather than on focusing on the objective (Sociology, 2008). Another aspect of socialisation that escorts us towards S.I is the successful and unsuccessful aspect of socialisation that can be in any field of life or any profession. Researchers and psychologist scholars are naturally aware that in ‘socialisation’ there is still a great need for precise concepts and theories which however, already have made such a great impression on the public that ‘knowledge of socialisation theory’ is free to be demonstrated in field of teaching positions, socialisation law, socialisation policies, socialisation engineering and so on (Brezinka & Brice, 1994, p. 3).

Keeping in the shoe of others

Socialisation refers to the social process of performing roles and when it comes to gender, females perform their specific roles by going through a particular process which takes place from giving birth, shaping in the values, adapting the customs and behavioural norms required to live together with other adult and non-adult members of society. Gender socialisation, therefore, refers to all those processes which take place by going through almost the particular customs and behavioural norms that account for the sexual differentiation in adult personal identity and behaviour (Chevannes, 2001, p. 1).

Despite so many theories and philosophies to define gender socialisation, few of us dare to see and analyse ourselves while putting in the shoe of others. This means that we or our subconscious gets prepared to see us while exchanging our roles temporarily. As it is explained above that it is all about role playing in the society, the one who performs better part is considered more reliable in the eyes of the social milieu.

S.I, Meaning and Self

There are many theories explaining S.I, but the flow of our above research suggests S.I be taken on account of performing better each time. This is possible only where females understand their role in a better way, they are well aware of how to raise a happy family and since theories like S. I has been so influential in sociological thought, it might be useful to trace how the socialisation is accomplished. According to sociologists it all depends, in the first place, on the structure of the family, whether nuclear or extended, female-headed or male-headed, small or large, and the functional roles played by its members.

First at the structural level they posit a framework for understanding the family as a system comprising two axes. In the hierarchy and power axis, the role of parent is superior to the role of son or daughter, while in the instrumental or expressive axis, the role of the males is oriented ‘instrumentally’ to meeting the needs of the system in relation to goal-objects outside, and that of the females oriented to the expressive, or affective needs of the system.

This is a scientific and abstract way of expressing the quite familiar sex-role division by which women are oriented to the internal relations of a family and men to the external. Therefore women must consider two facts: they understand their role, and that their part can only be performed by them. Secondly as human beings are easily moulded to adapt to any setting, so does the women must acknowledge it by practising and implementing this notion.

Works Cited

Brezinka Wolfgang & Brice Stuart, (1994) Socialization and Education: Essays in Conceptual Criticism: Greenwood Press: Westport, CT.

Chevannes Barry, (2001) Learning to Be a Man: Culture, Socialization, and Gender Identity in Five Caribbean Communities: University of the West Indies Press: Barbados.

Johnson E. Nan & Wang Li Ching, (1997) Changing Rural Social Systems: Adaptation and Survival: Michigan State University Press: East Lansing, MI.

Kerckhoff C. Alan, (1972) Socialization and Social Class: Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Sociology, 2008. Web.