Impacts Of Culture And Socialization

Ideal Society: Impacts Of Culture And Socialization

Overview

Have you ever considered which social class you belong to? In an ideal world, which social class would you like to belong to? Have you ever wanted to move up the social ladder? Social classes are groups of people who share certain aspects of their lives. These often include wealth, resources, occupations, and income. As we move from social groups to social classes, you will consider the role social classes play in a practical society versus an ideal one. Throughout this write up consider the function of social classes and how they apply within an ideal society.

Instructions

1. You are going to expand your ideas for an ideal society to include social classes. Your write up will cover three sections: key components, theory, and the people.
2. Include (the title page and reference page). The content should include information addressing the main questions, and a well-argued introduction and conclusion.

Project Sections (Be sure to address the following questions in each section.)

Key Components:

• What is social stratification?
• What is social mobility?
• Are there social classes? How are these categorized? How are they defined?
• How are stratification systems maintained in this society?
• What are the two ways in which poverty is defined?

Theory:

• How do Wright’s model of social class and Gilbert and Kahl’s model of social class fit within this ideal society? Does the society require different social classes? Why or why not?

People:

• Are people able to advance their social class within this society?
• How can people advance their social class within this society?
• Do prejudice and discrimination fit within this society?
• How can people from one social class connect with people in a different social class?
• How do people within a minority relate with others?
• How does poverty play a role in society?
• Does poverty impact behaviors and interactions of those within the community?

The following article discusses sociology and culture, as well as some of the variables that influence both. This study focuses on a more in-depth examination of cultural concepts, values, and conventions. In general, the issue of socialization is taken into account. The article cites both Cooley’s looking-glass self and Mead’s theory of socialization to demonstrate how theories of socialization influence cultural development and socialization. This essay focuses on the method by which humans acquire cultural knowledge. The next article goes into greater detail on ethnocentrism and cultural relativism, as well as its effects on people’s perceptions of culture and the construction of an ideal society. Subcultures and countercultures are also examined in connection to a perfect society, as well as the impact they have on the upbringing and socialization of readers.

Culture, as a way of life, involves a society’s beliefs, art of living, and habits that are carried down from generation to generation. Shared values, beliefs, and social norms define culture. People’s behavior is regulated by cultural values, which are societal standards. Members of a society are expected to act in a certain way based on cultural norms (Fine, 2018). Members of a society pass down their cultural beliefs from generation to generation. People develop a personality under specific circumstances in a social environment, according to the concept of socialization. The process through which people learn to change their conduct and manner in order to be accepted by their peers and the larger society in which they live is known as socialization. Cultural and social development is regarded as a goal of socialization. Individuals may become more like the other members of their society as a result of interacting.

This article will examine Cooley’s looking-glass self-theory and G.H. Mead’s socialization theory, two of four theories proposed to explain socialization. The looking-glass self-theory, introduced by Charles H. Cooley, states that an individual’s progress is influenced by how society and other people perceive him or her. This idea takes into account an individual’s appearance to others, their appraisal of their own appearance, and their feeling of self. The looking-glass self is a social psychology concept that describes how people perceive themselves as perceived by others (Fricke & Frederick, 2017). Socializing can help people communicate more effectively in order to better understand the feelings of others and how they feel about themselves. Individuals were expected to comprehend the meaning that others ascribed to their ideas and situations in order to comprehend their own behavior in the framework of looking-glass self-theory in culture. People will have a better knowledge of the culture if the message is understood.

According to Mead, people’s thoughts were considered as the beginning of the social process. Mead contended that social order could not exist unless people could perceive and act like other people. According to sociologist Margaret Mead, engaging with others helps people develop a sense of self. According to the theory’s connection to cultural and socialization development, a person’s sense of self is shaped by the experiences and exposure they acquire in social contexts.

There are three methods for learning about a culture. Direct observation is the most common approach of learning about a culture. Observational learning is defined as paying attention to what other people are doing and noting their behavior. When a senior member of the community does a task, students see a demonstration. In the civilization, observation learning was widely employed to instruct farmers and hunters (Hoppener, 2017). Another method for learning about a society’s way of life is to listen to an elder or other knowledgeable person of the group. The most common means of passing on cultural knowledge to others is by listening. The following generation usually learns about their culture from their parents or seniors in the community. Students would ask their elders questions as a secondary way of learning.

Because of ethnocentrism, it is typical for people to make incorrect judgments about other people’s behavior based on their own norms and notions. Being ethnocentric implies believing that one’s own cultural norms and views are superior to those of others. Ethnocentrism is another word for cultural illiteracy. According to the notion of cultural relativism, consider and value the activities of a specific culture from its own perspective. Cultural relativism seeks to transcend cultural ignorance by establishing knowledge of the habits and traditions of different civilizations. According to cultural relativism, society’s notion of right and evil is absolute; there is no opportunity for compromise. When making a decision, ethnocentrism comes into play since what one culture considers right or bad may be the polar opposite in another, and the two notions collide.

“Self-esteem” is a term used to describe a person’s impression of themselves. People develop a sense of self when they learn more about themselves. After developing their own sense of self, people might identify what makes them happy, what makes them dislike something else, and other characteristics that characterize who they are. Personal development can be impacted by both genetic and cultural factors. The DNA of a person determines how they respond to a number of events (Klein, 2020). Personal development is aided by a positive genetic reaction. Social interaction refers to a person’s long-term interactions with others and with themselves. Our psychological balance is maintained and modified by social engagement. A positive social connection results in a favorable improvement in one’s life.

When two persons from different cultures meet because of cultural differences, it affects human interaction. When people from various cultural backgrounds get together, it can lead to cultural disputes since what is right in one culture may be wrong in another. A person’s cultural identity may alter when new philosophical notions develop. This is true even if culture is made up of beliefs and characteristics. When people from different cultures interact with one another, their perceptions of culture can shift. This has the potential to cause cultural transformations.

A subculture is a group of people who share a common interest in a larger culture. Subcultures are comparable to the dominant culture in some ways. Hippies, skinheads, goths, and bikers would be examples of subcultures in an ideal society (Abraham, 2019). There are subcultures within bigger cultures that have values and views that the wider culture does not share. Members of a counterculture do not share the mainstream culture’s standards and ideals. Polygamists and feminists are instances of counterculture in an ideal society.

The paper briefly mentions a few cultural and social issues. The concepts of Mead’s thesis and the looking-glass self are thoroughly described here, as well as how they connect to the formation of socialization and culture. Cultural relativism and ethnocentrism are thoroughly examined, as are how people build a sense of self and the influence of society’s countercultures and subcultures on the ideal society. The article demonstrates a thorough awareness of the cultural and social implications.

References

Abraham, A. R. (2019). Socialization Process of Adolescents in Nuclear Families with Single Child and More Than One Child in Kerala. https://aureoleonline.in/wpcontent/uploads/2021/01/9_Aureole-Volume-XI-Aureole-20191.pdf

Fine, G. A. (2018). Group cultures and subcultures. In Routledge Handbook of Cultural Sociology (pp. 247-256). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315267784- 27/

Fricke, S. A., & Frederick, C. M. (2017). The Looking Glass Self: the impact of explicit self-awareness on self-esteem. Inquiries Journal, 9(12). http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1711/the-looking-glass-self-the-impact-of-explicit-self-awareness-on-self-esteem

Klein, A. (2020, June 17). Who Am I? How to Find Your Sense of Self. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/sense-of-self

Hoppener, G. (2017, September 13). Rethinking socialization research through the lens of new materialism. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsoc.2017.00013/full