Sociology Intermediate 1 and 2. Socialisation. NQ Support Material. Valid from 2006/07. Scottish Further Education Unit

Transcription

1 Sociology Intermediate 1 and 2 Socialisation NQ Support Material Valid from 2006/07 Scottish Further Education Unit

2 Acknowledgements The Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU) gratefully acknowledges the contribution made to this publication by Learning and Teaching Scotland who have granted permission to use material previously produced by HSDU. SFEU also thanks SQA for permission to reproduce parts of the Arrangement documents. Scottish Further Education Unit 1

3 Contents National Unit Specification: Statement of Standards for Intermediate 1 Intermediate Recommended Reading 9 Approaches to Learning and Teaching 10 Nature versus Nurture 15 Socialisation Norms Values Roles Culture Cultural Differences Agents of Socialisation Family Peer group Education Work Mass Media Religion Social Order and Socialisation 125 Scottish Further Education Unit 2

4 National Unit Specification: Statement of Standards Socialisation (Intermediate 1) Acceptable performance in this Unit will be the satisfactory achievement of the standards set out in this part of the Unit specification. All sections of the statement of standards are mandatory and cannot be altered without reference to the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Outcome 1 Describe the relative nature of social norms, values and roles using contrasting cultures. Performance criteria (a) (b) (c) Describe the sociological meanings of social norms, values and roles correctly. Describe contrasting roles from the UK and other cultures correctly. Describe social norms from the UK and contrasting cultures correctly. Outcome 2 Describe the concept of socialisation. Performance criteria (a) Describe the nature versus nurture debate correctly. (b) Describe the process of primary and secondary socialisation correctly. (c) Describe the role of the main agents of socialisation in terms of their contribution to the socialisation process correctly. Evidence requirements for the Unit Candidates must produce written and/or oral evidence for all Outcomes and Performance Criteria of the Unit for it to be achieved. The assessment should take the form of an unseen, closed book, supervised test that should be completed in one hour or less. It should be taken on a single occasion. The instrument of assessment should take the form of restricted response questions, and should make use of stimulus material as a tool with which to help candidates focus on the question(s) posed. The following requirements are mandatory for this Unit. Scottish Further Education Unit 3

5 Introduction to socialisation Socialisation is a key concept in sociology because it accounts for the diversity of socially acquired behaviour and it demonstrates the ways in which the culture of a society is internalised by individuals through socialisation processes and agencies. The relative nature of social norms, values and roles Areas discussed at this point should include the following: the nature versus nurture debate structural aspects of society that form its culture and influence human behaviour comparison of three cultures, from cross-cultural, sub-cultural, anthropological or historical examples cultural variation within and between societies social norms and roles relating to gender, age, family/marriage, religion, work and education other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. The six main agents of socialisation All of the six main agents of socialisation should be covered in learning and teaching, but only two require to be assessed for Unit assessment purposes. The family nature of the family and the variety of forms it can take within and between societies changing nature of roles within the family family as an agency of social control changing patterns of family life other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Peer groups nature of peer groups influence of peer groups in shaping values, attitudes and behaviour relationship between peer groups and other agencies of socialisation other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Scottish Further Education Unit 4

6 Education formal and informal aspects of education differences in educational provision, historically and cross-culturally impact of educational experiences school organisation, teacher attitudes and national political decisions upon the individual and social groups development of subcultures in the school environment and their impact upon educational performance other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Work definitions of work individual s experience of work and the different values placed upon work as an activity by different social groups impact of work on other life spheres, attitudes and behaviour other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Religion definition of religion relationship between beliefs and social values and norms religion, social order and conflict changing patterns of religious activity within and between societies other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Mass media various forms of mass media and the process of mass communication influence of the mass media in the creation of stereotypes influence of the mass media in shaping values, attitudes and behaviour bias in the media other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Scottish Further Education Unit 5

7 National Unit Specification: Statement of standards Socialisation (Intermediate 2) Acceptable performance in this Unit will be the satisfactory achievement of the standards set out in this part of the Unit specification. All sections of the statement of standards are mandatory and cannot be altered without reference to the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Outcome 1 Describe the relative nature of social norms, values and roles using contrasting cultures. Performance criteria (a) (b) (c) Describe the sociological meanings of social norms, values and roles correctly. Describe contrasting roles from the UK and other cultures correctly. Describe social norms from the UK and contrasting cultures correctly. Outcome 2 Describe the concept of socialisation. Performance criteria (a) Describe the nature versus nurture debate correctly. (b) Describe the process of primary and secondary socialisation correctly. (c) Describe the role of the main agents of socialisation in terms of their contribution to the socialisation process correctly. Outcome 3 Analyse the concept of socialisation. Performance criteria (a) Compare the cultural relativity of social norms and values from the UK and other contrasting cultures correctly. (b) Analyse the contribution of socialisation to the maintenance of social order clearly. Evidence requirements for the Unit The following requirements are mandatory for this Unit. Candidates must produce written and/or oral evidence for all Outcomes and Performance Criteria of the Unit for it to be achieved. The assessment should take the form of an unseen, closed-book, supervised test that should be completed in one hour or less. It should be taken on a single occasion. The instrument of assessment should take the form of restricted response questions, and should make use of stimulus material as a tool with which to help candidates focus on the question(s) posed. Scottish Further Education Unit 6

8 Introduction to socialisation Socialisation is a key concept in sociology because it accounts for the diversity of socially acquired behaviour and it demonstrates the ways in which the culture of a society is internalised by individuals through the socialisation processes and agencies. The relative nature of social norms, values and roles Areas discussed at this point should include the following: the nature versus nurture debate structural aspects of society that form its culture and influence human behaviour comparison of three cultures from cross-cultural, sub-cultural, anthropological or historical examples cultural variation within and between societies social norms and roles relating to gender, age, family/marriage, religion, work and education other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. The six main agents of socialisation All of the six main agents of socialisation should be covered in learning and teaching, but only two require to be assessed for Unit assessment purposes. The family nature of the family and the variety of forms it can take within and between societies changing nature of roles within the family family as an agency of social control changing patterns of family life other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Peer groups nature of peer groups influence of peer groups in shaping values, attitudes and behaviour relationship between peer groups and other agents of socialisation other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Scottish Further Education Unit 7

9 Education formal and informal aspects of education differences in educational provision, historically and cross-culturally impact of educational experiences school organisation, teacher attitudes and national political decisions upon the individual and social groups development of subcultures in the school environment and their impact upon educational performance other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Work definitions of work individual s experience of work and the different values placed upon work as an activity by different social groups impact of work on other life spheres, attitudes and behaviour other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Religion definition of religion relationship between beliefs and social values and norms religion, social order and conflict changing patterns of religious activity within and between societies other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Mass media various forms of mass media and the process of mass communication influence of the mass media in the creation of stereotypes influence of the mass media in shaping values, attitudes and behaviour bias in the media other relevant features may be used to supplement/supplant these features, providing they are widely recognised as being sociologically appropriate use of the United Kingdom as an example. Scottish Further Education Unit 8

10 Recommended reading As with all elements of this pack, the resources suggested are offered as assistance and are not seen to be a definitive resource list. Lecturers/teachers are free to use books, CD-ROMs, videos, web sites, existing resources, etc., at their own discretion. A good tip for finding good quality, credible web sites is to discuss with colleagues which ones they have found useful, to use links attached to Sociology departments in Universities, the Association for the Teaching of the Social Sciences (ATSS), SFEU or LTS, and to use those recommended within textbooks. Students/pupils may also offer suggestions, which you can check out to make sure: 1. They are of good quality, and 2. Students/pupils have not copied homework directly from a site. Suggested reading Blundell. (2001) Active Sociology for GCSE. Longman. Haralambos, Smith, O Gorman and Heald. (1996) Sociology: A New Approach. 3 rd edition. Causeway Press. Moore. (2001) Sociology Alive. 3 rd edition. Nelson Thornes. Muncie. (1999) Understanding the Family. Sage Publications Ltd. Wilson and Kidd. (1998) Sociology for GCSE. Collins Educational. Useful websites SQA contacts The SQA website is a valuable source of information on all aspects of the unit Course and Unit specifications; Specimen Question Papers; Marking Instructions; Principal Assessor reports; Senior Moderator reports and Subject Review updates. Qualifications Manager Qualifications Officer Tom Stannage Jacqueline McKenzie Tom.Stannage@sqa.org.uk Jacqueline.Mckenzie@sqa.org.uk Scottish Further Education Unit 9

11 Approaches to learning and teaching The learning experience at this level should be varied to encourage enthusiasm for the subject and to stimulate and prepare candidates for independent study. As Socialisation (Intermediate 1) and Socialisation (Intermediate 2) have the same content, it follows that in a bi-level class, while candidates will cover the same content, they will not be expected to master it in the same way. In other words, the same depth of knowledge and understanding or the same level of skills development will not be expected. The Unit should be approached using a wide range of stimulus materials and teaching approaches. Candidates should be encouraged to draw upon their own experiences, where appropriate, and should have access to resources such as audio-visual material, invited speakers, Internet, ICT and paper-based resources. Where appropriate, the material should be kept up-to-date and relevant to the Unit, the level of study and interests of the candidates. For Intermediate 1 it is recognised that the concepts and explanations covered in the Unit should be approached in a descriptive way. The material for Intermediate 1 in this support pack has been presented in the form of bullet points in an attempt to reflect the depth of knowledge and understanding required at this level. For Intermediate 2, it is recognised that the concepts and explanations covered in the Unit should be approached in a largely descriptive way, though some analytical understanding of the value and limitations of the concepts and explanations should be introduced. The material for Intermediate 2 has been presented by conjoined text, as the candidate is required to demonstrate a deeper level of knowledge and understanding at this level. The emphasis throughout should be on interactive learning, whether through whole class, small group, or individual activity. The Units can also be adapted for flexible delivery, including paper-based open learning and various modes of online delivery. Presentation of the sequence of Units is at the discretion of centres. There are three possible approaches to the delivery of the Units at Intermediate 2: 1. If presenting along with the other two Intermediate 2 Units and being used for progression to or fallback from Intermediate 1, this Unit may be presented after both the Studying Human Society: The Sociological Approach (Intermediate 2) and Social Stratification (Intermediate 2) Units. This approach would also allow for movement between Intermediate 2 and Intermediate 1 in the first few months of the course. As the Intermediate 2 Socialisation Unit and the Intermediate 1 Unit of the same title have overlapping content, it is envisaged that assessors will seek to determine that candidates continue to be presented for the Course at Intermediate 2 or undertake the free standing Intermediate 1 Units. 2. An alternative model for presentation, one that may introduce candidates to the discipline of sociology more lightly, may be to begin with this Unit, then present Social Stratification (Intermediate 2), before presenting the conceptually more complex content of Studying Human Society: The Sociological Approach Unit (Intermediate 2). This model would also allow for progression and fallback between Intermediate 2 and Intermediate 1. Scottish Further Education Unit 10

12 3. For the purposes of progression to or fallback from Higher and Intermediate 2 in the first few months of the Course, the following model may be adopted. As the Intermediate 2 Studying Human Society: The Sociological Approach Unit and the Higher Unit of the same title have overlapping content, it is envisaged that assessors will seek to determine that candidates continue with the Course at the appropriate level. Due to the level of demand at Higher, bi-level delivery of Intermediate 2 and Higher for the Unit would be problematic. Beyond the common elements between the Intermediate 2 and Higher Understanding Human Society: The Sociological Approach Units, the Course Content is substantially different. Scottish Further Education Unit 11

13 What is sociology? (Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2) Sociology is the systematic study of societies. It looks at how people live, behave and work together in groups. It asks questions about the world that we live in and tries to explain why it is the way it is. It is concerned with the study of social institutions. These are the organised social arrangements which are found in all societies. For example, the family is concerned with primary socialisation and arrangements of marriage, such as: at what age people can marry, whom they can marry and how many partners they can have. Why is the family constructed the way it is? The education system establishes ways of transmitting knowledge, skills, values and attitudes from one generation to the next. Why do some groups do better in education than others? What influence does religion have on our lives? Who benefits from politics? Why do some people commit more crime than others? Do the mass media educate audiences or indoctrinate them? What values do we place on work? How do our peer groups shape our values, attitudes and behaviour? Sociology teaches you to question the world around you. Sociology graduates go on to a hugely diverse range of careers. They have jobs in the media as researchers and journalists. Graduates may embark on teaching, lecturing, police work, social work or health care. The list is endless. Scottish Further Education Unit 12

14 What is sociology? The systematic study of societies The study of social institutions: - family - peer groups - education - work - religion - mass media. Scottish Further Education Unit 13

15 Tutor notes This support pack begins with the nature versus nurture debate and the concept of socialisation, even though these are covered in Outcome 2 of the Unit specification. The writer felt it was logical to approach the topics in this order, as it will introduce the student to some of the key concepts that sociologists use to understand human behaviour. Socialisation is a key concept in sociology because it accounts for the diversity of socially acquired behaviour and it demonstrates the ways in which the culture of a society is internalised by individuals through socialisation processes and agencies. By first of all studying how human beings learn to behave, the student will be in a better position to explore contrasting cultures in Outcome 1. In this Introduction to the nature versus nurture debate and the concept of socialisation, students may be encouraged to consider the similarities between themselves and their siblings, for example, in terms of appearance and behaviour. The tutor could facilitate a discussion on the differences between behaviours in different families and/or on gender differences. DVDs of feral children such as Genie could be shown to stimulate interest. Scottish Further Education Unit 14

16 Nature versus nurture (Intermediate 1) Introduction This debate is very important to the study of sociology and socialisation. This is because sociologists are trying to explain social behaviour in humans. The debate focuses on whether our behaviour is determined by our genes or by the society and culture in which live. Nature When sociologists talk about nature they are referring to what a person inherits through their genes. Each individual inherits 50% of their genes from her/his mother and 50% from his/her father. Genes determine such things as what sex we will be and the colour of our eyes. Biologists have also argued that genetic influence can explain social behaviour. For example, some have argued that aggression or male and female behaviour are inherited. If we use the term instinct we mean that behaviour is passed on through the genes from parents to children. Nurture When sociologists talk about nurture they are referring to all the social behaviours we learn through the socialisation process. This means the things we do are a result of what we have learned. This means that our experiences and our environment play a large part in shaping our behaviour. Our social behaviours come from the expectations and guidelines found within each society or culture. Scottish Further Education Unit 15

17 Nature or nurture? There are four main areas to consider when trying to answer the question which has most influence in shaping social behaviour? 1 We often say behaviour is natural or instinctive because we do things without thinking, or have done this for such a long time it seems natural. However, what we consider natural may in fact be behaviour that is learned, but because we are socialised from an early age it seems natural. 2 Recent research into genetics has made a strong case for the nature argument. However, there are huge variations in social behaviour between different cultures that cannot be explained by genetic inheritance. 3 Sociologists admit that we have basic drives for food, shelter, comfort, and so on, but this does not explain the way we go about getting these things. Each society/culture does things in different ways. This is because we are socialised into accepting and demonstrating the behaviours that are seen as important and normal in our society. 4 Biologists also acknowledge that the environment is important. We may inherit the gene for a physical characteristic or a specific behaviour but the gene may only express itself in a particular environment. One example of this is if we look at the genetic influence on height. We may inherit the gene for tallness, but we would need protein in our diet for the gene to express itself and actually make us tall. One way to test the influence of nature or nurture would be to study the ways in which people develop without human/social contact. However, researchers cannot do this as it would not be ethical. However, there are some case studies of wild children who seem to have gone without social contact. Scottish Further Education Unit 16

18 Nature versus nurture (Intermediate 2) Introduction Sociology is the study of human behaviour and therefore the source of human behaviour is of interest to sociologists. Many people just accept the way the world is because they think it is natural. They think it is natural for two people to fall in love, get married, live together and have children. It is natural for children to go to school, sit at desks and obey the teacher. It is natural to then go to work and take orders from the manager. Institutions like the family and school are so ingrained in our society that we may just accept them and not try to understand how they have come to be or why they work the way they do. It can be easy to think that they have always been there and cannot be changed. Sociologists, however, challenge these taken-for-granted assumptions. They do this by investigating how things were in the past, how they have changed, how they differ between societies and how they might change in the future. The first thing we need to investigate is whether social behaviour is determined by our genes or by the society and culture in which we live. This is known as the nature versus nurture debate. This debate is central to the study of sociology and socialisation. Before we look at the debate in detail it is important to define what we mean by the terms nature and nurture. Nature When sociologists talk about nature they are referring to what a person inherits through their genes. This is the genetic inheritance of a person. Each individual inherits 50% of their genes from their mother and 50% from their father. Genes determine such things as what sex you will be and the colour of your eyes. However, biologists have argued that genetic influence can also explain social behaviour and characteristics. For example, some have argued that aggression, personality and intelligence are all inherited. If we use the term, instinct, this means that behaviour is programmed in the genes. Nurture When sociologists talk about nurture they are referring to all the behaviours we learn through the socialisation process. The things we do are a result of what we have learned. This means that our experiences and our environment play a large part in shaping our behaviour. Our social behaviours come from the expectations and guidelines found within each society and culture. Scottish Further Education Unit 17

19 Nature or nurture It can be difficult to know how much we are influenced by our genes and how much by our environment. We often say behaviour is natural or instinctive because we often do things without thinking, or have done something for such a long time that it seems natural. However, what we consider natural may in fact be behaviour that is learned but, because we are socialised from an early age, it seems natural. Recent advances in science in the area of genetics have made a strong case for the nature argument. However, sociologists still argue that genetics alone cannot explain the huge variations in social behaviour between different cultures. Sociologists acknowledge that we have basic drives for food, shelter, comfort, and so on, but this does not explain the way we go about getting these things. Each society does things in different ways and this can be seen as the influence on the way we have been socialised and the behaviours that are seen as important and normal in our society. Biologists, on the other hand, also acknowledge that the environment is important. For example, we may inherit the gene for a physical characteristic or a specific behaviour, but the gene may only express itself in a particular environment. One example of this is if we look at the genetic influence on height. We may inherit the gene for tallness, but we would need protein in our diet as we are growing up for the gene to express itself and actually make us tall. So, even though we may have the possibility of behaving in a particular way, this is not determined just by biology. One way to test the influence of nature or nurture would be to study the way in which people develop without human/social contact. However, researchers cannot do this as it would not be ethical. However, there are some case studies on wild children who seem to have gone without social contact that we will have a look at a little later in this Unit. For the most part we need to look at examples of behaviour in our own society with people who have been brought up with social contact and try to decide how far the behaviour is as a result of their genetic inheritance and in how far it is because they have learned it as part of the socialisation process. That is, whether they behave the way they do because of their genes, which they have inherited from their parents, or because of the way they were treated when they were young. Scottish Further Education Unit 18

20 Examples of the nature versus nurture debate (Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2) Given below are examples of different kinds of social behaviour. Each can be explained through nature or nurture. Female and male behaviour Most of us would agree that in many situations we expect male and female behaviour to differ. Consider the following questions designed to test whether males and females behave differently: In your experience, is a man or a woman more likely to cry at a sad film? Is a firefighter more likely to be a man or a woman? Is a man or a woman more likely to wear make-up? When a heterosexual couple are in a car together, is the man or the woman more likely to be driving? The nature versus nurture debate considers whether such behavioural differences are genetic or learned. The nature side of the debate emphasises that males and females do have genetic differences that influence both physical and behavioural characteristics. These biological differences mean that males and females are, therefore, suited to different behaviours and roles. Some people who adhere to this side of the debate have argued that biological differences make females more suited to raising children. The nurture side of the debate emphasises that there is a whole range of social institutions (work, family, religion, mass media, education) that teach children their gender roles. Within the family males and females are treated differently from the moment they are born. Baby boys are often dressed in blue and baby girls in pink. When talking to a young child people often refer to the girl s prettiness and clothing, while they refer to a boy s size and mischievousness. Adults tend to speak to girls in a softer, more nurturing voice. Boys are given more active and technical toys that encourage competitiveness while girls toys are more passive. Teachers as well as carers also expect boys and girls to behave differently. It is perceived to be less acceptable for girls to be fighting in the playground than it is for boys. Teenage boys achieve status among their peer group for sexual promiscuity while teenage girls are condemned for the same behaviour. In adulthood, the media judge women on their appearance, while they judge men on their power and success. Why does this happen? Scottish Further Education Unit 19

21 Aggression The source of aggression may be either innate or environmental. The nature side of the debate argues that aggression is passed on through the genes. It emphasises that biological factors such as hormones play a part. For example, males are more aggressive than females because of higher testosterone levels. Aggression also may have been necessary for survival as humans were evolving, as part of the evolutionary process. On the nurture side of the debate, it is pointed out that aggression is not found in every society, therefore it is not natural. There are varying degrees of aggression between and within different cultures. Children who have aggressive role models (such as parents, friends and/or celebrities) are more likely to become aggressive as they learn through observation and imitation, eg. if a popular singer demonstrates aggressive behaviour and is rewarded with fame, popularity and wealth then children may adopt similar behaviour. Criminal behaviour Criminal behaviour, it is argued, may be either inherited or learned. On the nature side of the debate, it is argued that it is part of the genetic make up of the criminal. There was a case in the United States where genetic arguments were used in the defence of someone accused of murder. Brain size and other physical features have been associated with the criminal personality. Hormone imbalance has also been given as a reason for criminal behaviour. On the nurture side of the debate, it is argued that we learn criminal behaviour from our society. It could be from adults who are copied. It could be part of peer group pressure or rebellion against society. Society values material goods and if people cannot get them in legal ways then they will use illegal ways to obtain them in order to achieve status. Achievement in school Girls are obtaining more qualifications than boys. Middle-class children leave school with more qualifications than working-class children. Are these differences genetic or learned? The nature side of the debate argues that intelligence is inherited, that it is your genes that determine your IQ (intelligence quotient). Your IQ determines what you can achieve and if you have a low IQ you will only be able to do certain things and not others. Parents pass on their genetic advantage to their offspring. Those who support the nurture side of the debate reject the idea that intelligence is inherited. They would argue that someone's IQ simply shows how good a person is at doing IQ tests and says nothing about the person's actual intelligence. They would argue that a person with a low IQ may not have been exposed to a stimulating environment where they could learn. Some school pupils fail because of social factors such as poverty, expectations of teachers or discrimination. Also, boys may gain more status from peers by failing rather than succeeding. Scottish Further Education Unit 20

22 Tutor Guide: Student activities on nature versus nurture In the Student Activities on nature versus nurture the students are invited to complete boxes with appropriate statements. The tutor may use her/his discretion whether or not to provide one statement as an example. Nature versus Nurture (Intermediate 1) For example: Two statements that support the nature side of the debate are: 1 Humans have basic drives that are determined by their genes. 2 Two statements that support the nurture side of the debate are: 1 There are many differences in social behaviours between societies and cultures. 2 Aggressive behaviour Nature 1 Due to higher levels of testosterone boys are more aggressive than girls.. 2 Nurture 1 Little boys are encouraged to play more aggressive games than little girls. 2 Scottish Further Education Unit 21

23 Nature versus nurture (Intermediate 2) Nature 1 Inherited characteristics or behaviour that comes through our genes. 2 Nurture 1 Social behaviour learned through our experience. 2 Male/female behaviour Nature 1 Women are naturally more caring than men so should be responsible for looking after children and elderly relatives. 2 Nurture 1 Girls are more likely to cry at sad films because little boys are taught that boys don t cry. 2 Scottish Further Education Unit 22

24 Criminal behaviour Nature 1 People living in underprivileged areas are born with a criminal gene. 2 Nurture 1 Crime rates are higher in underprivileged areas because of a lack of opportunities and biased policing. 2 Scottish Further Education Unit 23

25 Student Activity: Nature versus nurture (Intermediate 1) Which of the following statements describes nature and which nurture? Write the correct answer in the boxes. Behaviour which is learned. Behaviour which is the result of genes. Nature Nurture Below are four statements. Two statements support the nature side of the debate and two statements support the nurture side of the debate. Choose the correct statements below and write them in the spaces provided. Humans have basic drives that are determined by their genes. There are many differences in social behaviour between societies and cultures. Social behaviour comes from what a society sees as important and normal. Genes determines such things as eye colour and what sex a person will be. It can also influence social behaviour. Two statements that support the nature side of the debate are: 1 2 Two statements that support the nurture side of the debate are: 1 2 Scottish Further Education Unit 24

26 Is aggression determined by nature or nurture? Write down two statements that support the nature side of the debate and two that support the nurture side of the debate. Aggressive behaviour Nature 1 2 Nurture 1 2 Scottish Further Education Unit 25

27 Student Activity: Nature versus nurture (Intermediate 2) Read the four statements below. Only one accurately describes nature and one describes nurture. Select which of the statements below are correct and write these in the boxes provided. Behaviour we do without thinking. Social behaviour learned through our experience. Behaviour that we do with others. Inherited characteristics or behaviour that comes through our genes. Nature 1 2 Nurture 1 2 In the boxes provided below, write two statements that support the nature side of the debate and two statements that support the nurture side of the debate. Two statements that support the nature side of the debate are: 1 2 Two statements that support the nurture side of the debate are: 1 2 Scottish Further Education Unit 26

28 Consider male/female behaviour and criminal behaviour. Write down two statements that support the nature side of the debate and two that support the nurture side of the debate for each of these behaviours. Male/female behaviour Nature 1 2 Nurture 1 2 Criminal behaviour Nature 1 2 Nurture 1 2 Scottish Further Education Unit 27

29 Nature versus Nurture Nature: behaviour is instinctive Nurture: behaviour is learned Nature: genetics determine behaviour Nurture: environmental factors determine behaviour Scottish Further Education Unit 28

30 Socialisation (Intermediate 1) What is socialisation? Socialisation is the way in which we learn the social aspects of behaviour. It includes the way we think and behave. Socialisation is life long. It starts at birth and continues until death. What do we learn in the socialisation process? We learn the culture of our society. This includes: beliefs, dress and language. Sociologists use technical words to describe the things we learn. Some words you might come across in your studies are: social norms, values and roles. Different types of socialisation There are also different types of socialisation. Again, sociologists have technical words to describe these different types of socialisation. Primary socialisation Socialisation begins as soon as you are born. The people who have the most influence in the first few years of your life are your immediate family and carers. The socialisation that goes on at this time is known as primary socialisation. Secondary socialisation As the child starts to grow up they are influenced by people who are not their immediate carers. When a child is about five they go to school, they may join social clubs, or take up dancing or a sport. The socialisation that goes on outside the immediate family is known as secondary socialisation. Scottish Further Education Unit 29

31 Formal socialisation Some of our learning take place in a particular way. For example, we learn the skills of reading, writing and counting in school. These types of skills are seen as necessary in our society because they help us communicate and get a job. This type of socialisation is known as formal socialisation. Informal socialisation Many of the things we learn are picked up from copying others, listening to things we are told by our friends or through the media. This type of socialisation is going on all the time and is known as informal socialisation. Is the process the same for everyone? There are differences in socialisation between societies. There are also differences between different groups within societies. This may be because of different beliefs such as religion or may be based on differences in gender. For example, it may be that men and women are socialised differently to prepare them for roles in later life. Importance of the socialisation process Sociologists think socialisation is important because it helps to keep social order. Some have argued that for society to exist and survive people have to find a way to live together without constant fighting. Also, large societies cannot rely on the forces of law and order to keep the peace and make sure people obey the rules. The socialisation process allows people to learn the rules of society and to see what happens if these rules are broken. All sociologists see socialisation as very important. They disagree on whether it benefits everyone in society or whether it gives some groups more advantages than others. Scottish Further Education Unit 30

32 Socialisation (Intermediate 2) What is socialisation? Socialisation is the way in which we learn the appropriate behaviour of our society. It includes the way we think and behave. Socialisation is a process that goes on throughout our lives from birth to death. We learn the culture of our society. By culture we mean all the ways of behaving, dressing, speaking and thinking. Sociologists use technical words such as values, social norms and roles to describe the things we learn. There are different types of socialisation. Socialisation begins as soon as we are born and the people who have the most influence in the first few years of our life are our immediate family and carers. The socialisation that goes on at this time is known as primary socialisation. This refers to early childhood learning during which we acquire the basic behaviour patterns, language and skills that we will need in later life. The agents of primary socialisation are usually family and friends. They ensure that the child gradually learns the behaviour appropriate for its society and gender. As the child starts to grow up people who are not their immediate carers influence them. So, when a child is about three they may go to nursery and then start school at five, they may join social clubs, or take up dancing or a sport. The socialisation that occurs outside the immediate family during later childhood and adulthood is known as secondary socialisation. The agents of secondary socialisation include the peer group, the media, religion, the school and the workplace. They teach individuals society s norms and values. Some of our learning takes place in a particular way. For example, we learn the skills of reading, writing and counting in school. These types of skills are seen as necessary in our society because they help us communicate and get a job. This type of socialisation is known as formal socialisation. However, lots of the things we learn are picked up from observing others and listening to things we are told by our friends or through the media. This type of socialisation is going on all the time and is known as informal socialisation. Is the process the same for everyone? The socialisation process means that people learn ways of behaving that society considers normal or desirable but there are differences. For example, different societies have different ways of behaving. In the UK, we formally greet people with a handshake, but in Japan it is normal to bow. Most British people eat with a knife and fork, whereas Japanese people are more likely to use chopsticks. Love marriages are considered desirable in the UK and arranged marriages are preferred in Pakistan. Within large scale societies there may also be variations in the way people are socialised. This may be because of different beliefs such as religion or may be based on differences in sex. For example, it may be that men and women are socialised differently to prepare them for roles in later life. Scottish Further Education Unit 31

33 Importance of the socialisation process One reason why sociologists consider socialisation so important is the way it helps to keep social order. Some have argued that for society to exist and survive people have to find a way to live together without constant fighting. Also, large societies cannot rely on the forces of law and order to keep the peace and make sure people obey the rules. The socialisation process allows people to learn the rules of society and to see what the consequences are if these rules are broken. All sociologists see socialisation as very important. They disagree on whether this is done for the benefit of society as a whole or whether it advantages some groups more than others. Scottish Further Education Unit 32

34 Tutor Guide: Student activities on socialisation In the Student Activities on socialisation the students are invited to complete boxes with appropriate statements. The tutor may use her/his discretion whether or not to provide one statement as an example. Write down two things you have learned through formal socialisation. a. How to write my name. b. Write down two things you have learned through informal socialisation. a. How to make friends. b. Think of two examples of the way in which the way you have been socialised into UK society/culture. a. I use a knife and fork when eating. b. Think of two examples where you think your own or others socialisation may have been different from the rest of society because of family, religion, beliefs, and so on. a. My Muslim friend does not eat pork. b. Scottish Further Education Unit 33

35 Think of two ways in which men and women may be socialised differently. Males Females a. Little boys are given active toys to play with. Little girls are given more passive toys to play with. b. Behaviour that might be considered natural or animal: Genie used the toilet where she liked. Scottish Further Education Unit 34

36 Behaviour that might be considered social: Isabelle developed speech. Scottish Further Education Unit 35

37 Student Activity: Socialisation (Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2) 1. Which of the statements below describes primary socialisation and which describes secondary socialisation? Write your answer in the box provided. This type of socialisation tends to happen as the child grows up and involves others outwith the immediate family. This type of socialisation takes place in the first few years of life and involves immediate family and carers. 2. Write down two things you have learned through formal socialisation. a. b. 3. Write down two things you have learned through informal socialisation. a. b. 4. Think of two examples of the way in which the way you have been socialised into UK society/culture. a. b. Scottish Further Education Unit 36

38 5. Think of two examples where you think your own or others socialisation may have been different from the rest of society because of family, religion, beliefs, and so on. a. b. 6. Think of two ways in which men and women may be socialised differently. Males Females a. b. Scottish Further Education Unit 37

39 Student Activity: Socialisation (Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2) Wild children case studies One way of studying the process of socialisation is to look at a number of cases of wild children. These are children who, for one reason or another, have been deprived of normal human contact. The following examples are taken from different sociological and anthropological studies. They describe what the children were like when found and how they developed after normal social contact. Case study 1 Kamala and Amala The case of Amala and Kamala was recorded in the 1920s in India. They were found living wild and were looked after by a minister and his wife who ran an orphanage. Amala was about two years old and Kamala was eight when they were found. Amala died soon after she was found. Kamala lived until she was about seventeen. The children were reported to have had an acute sense of smell, would howl at night and eat directly out of a bowl. Kamala was not toilet trained and hated clothes. Although they did play with one of the smaller children they ended up biting him so he became afraid. Kamala did form bonds of affection with the minister's wife and Kamala was obedient and listened to what she said, although not to others. Kamala also learned to speak, but only in a very limited way. She also learned to walk and use her hands when eating. Scottish Further Education Unit 38

40 Case study 2 Shamdev This boy was found in a forest in India when he was five years old. When he was found he did not like people and preferred to play with the dogs. He did not like the sun and preferred the shadows. At night he was restless and they had to tie him up. He ate raw meat such as chickens. He did develop his own sign language such as flapping his hands to mean chicken. Case study 3 The wild boy of Aveyron In 1800, a boy of about 12 years of age was found in a forest in the South of France. He did not appear to have any parents and was taken to an orphanage. He was then put into the care of a doctor who wanted to study his progress. When he was first found he could not speak. He did make strange noises and would howl in the dark. He hated wearing clothes, was not toilet trained and he appeared not to feel cold or heat. He was observed to go out and play in the snow with no clothes and apparently he did not suffer from this in fact, he seemed to enjoy it. He lived until he was about forty years old. During this time he did learn some words. He also learned to use the toilet, wear clothes and dress himself. However, he never developed fully. Scottish Further Education Unit 39

41 Case study 4 Isabelle Isabelle was born to a mother who could not speak or hear. She stayed with her mother for the first six years of her life in a dark room. When she was first found she was very fearful of strangers in particular men. She could not speak although she did make a croaking sound. In time she did develop speech and other social behaviour. Case study 5 Genie Genie was found in 1970 when she was 13 years old. Her father had died and her mother was almost totally blind. Social workers discovered she had spent most of her life tied to a chair in one room. She had very little contact with other members of the family. Genie was discouraged from making any sounds. She had not been fed properly and could not stand up straight. Genie could not talk. She did not understand language. She used the toilet where she liked and hit and scratched herself. She often used touch and smell to find out about objects. She could not walk properly when she was found but developed this through time. Although she did learn some words, she never learned to speak fully. She found grammar difficult although she had words for colours and shapes which surprised her carers. She did learn social habits and appeared to form affectionate bonds with her carers. She is still alive but her development is unknown. Scottish Further Education Unit 40