socialization
the social processes through which kids develop an awareness of social norms & values & achieve a distinct sense of self. Although socialization processes are particularly significant in infancy & childhood, they continue to some degree throughout life. No individuals are immune from the reactions of others around them, which influence & modify their behavior at all phases of the life course.
social reproduction
the process of perpetuating values, norms, & social practices through socialization, which leads to structural continuity over time.
cognition
human thought processes involving perception, reasoning, & remembering.
social self
the basis of self-consciousness in human individuals, according to the theory of G. H. Mead. The social self is the identity conferred upon an individual by the reactions of others. A person achieves self-consciousness by becoming aware of this social identity.
self-consciousness
awareness of one's distinct social identity as a person separate from others. Humans are not born with self-consciousness but acquire an awareness of self as a result of early socialization. The learning of language is of vital importance to the processes by which the child learns to become a self-conscious being.
generalized other
a concept in the theory of George Herbert Mead, according to which the individual takes over the general values of a given group or society during the socialization process.
sensorimotor stage
according to Piaget, a stage of human cognitive development in which the child's awareness of its environment is dominated by perception & touch.
preoperational stage
a stage of cognitive development, in Piaget's theory, in which the child has advanced sufficiently to master basic modes of logical thought.
egocentric
according to Piaget, the characteristic quality of a child during the early years of her life. Egocentric thinking involves understanding objects & events in the environment solely in terms of the child's own position.
concrete operational stage
a stage of cognitive development, as formulated by Piaget, in which the child's thinking is based primarily on physical perception of the world. In this phase, the child is not yet capable of dealing with abstract concepts or hypothetical situations.
formal operational stage
according to Piaget's theory, a stage of cognitive development at which the growing child becomes capable of handling abstract concepts & hypothetical situations.
agents of socialization
groups or social contexts within which processes of socialization take place.
peer group
a friendship group composed of individuals of similar age & social status.
age-grades
the system found in small traditional cultures by which people belonging to a similar age-group are categorized together & hold similar rights & obligations.
mass media
forms of communication, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, & television, designed to reach mass audiences.
social roles
socially defined expectations of an individual in a given status or social position.
identity
the distinctive characteristics of a person's or group's character that relate to who they are & what is meaningful to them. Some of the main sources of identity include gender, sexual orientation, nationality or ethnicity, & social class.
social identity
the characteristics that are attributed to an individual by others.
self-identity
the ongoing process of self-development & definition of our personal identity through which we formulate a unique sense of ourselves & our relationship to the world around us.
gender socialization
the learning of gender roles through social factors such as schooling, the media, & family.
gender roles
social roles assigned to each sex & labeled as masculine or feminine.