Deck 4: Socialization and the Life Course

Question 1

Which statement about socialization is the most accurate?

A) Socialization creates only behavior that is viewed as socially acceptable by the dominant culture.
B) Socialization creates the capacity for role-taking, including seeing ourselves the way others see us.
C) Socialization is more often harmful to self-concept than it is helpful or supportive.
D) Socialization makes behavior less predictable and sometimes even chaotic.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Compare and contrast the functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionist perspectives on the socialization process. Which is most consistent with your own conceptualization of the socialization process? Why?

Answer 2

The functionalist perspective on socialization emphasizes the role of social institutions, such as family, education, and religion, in shaping individuals to become productive members of society. According to this perspective, socialization helps maintain social order and stability by transmitting shared values and norms to new generations.

On the other hand, the conflict perspective views socialization as a process that perpetuates inequality and reinforces existing power dynamics. It highlights how socialization can reproduce and maintain social stratification, as individuals from different social classes are socialized differently and are thus positioned unequally in society.

The symbolic interactionist perspective focuses on the micro-level interactions and meanings that individuals create through socialization. It emphasizes the role of language, symbols, and interactions in shaping individuals' sense of self and their understanding of the social world.

In my own conceptualization of the socialization process, I find the symbolic interactionist perspective to be most consistent. I believe that socialization is a dynamic and ongoing process that involves the negotiation of meanings and identities through interactions with others. This perspective allows for a more nuanced understanding of how individuals actively engage in the socialization process and how their experiences and interpretations shape their sense of self and their interactions with others. It also acknowledges the role of power and inequality in shaping socialization experiences, while also highlighting the agency of individuals in navigating and resisting these dynamics.

Question 3

C hildren raised in upper- and middle-class families are given highly structured activities, such as music lessons, organized sports and clubs, language instruction, and other activities, that both fill the family calendar and give children little free time. Working-class children, on the other hand, have much more unstructured childhoods, allowing them to create their own activities. This illustrates that

A) socialization practices may differ as a function of social class.
B) not all social classes practice socialization at home.
C) patterns of socialization are the same regardless of social class.
D) childhood is remarkably similar across social classes.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following is true of socialization?

A) The socialization experience differs for individuals based on the context in which it occurs.
B) The process of socialization is exclusively considered psychological.
C) Through socialization, genetics determines behaviors.
D) Personality is the basis for socialization.

Question 5

As agents of socialization, _____ are important sources of social approval, disapproval, and support, especially during adolescence.

A) family members
B) peers
C) faith communities
D) schools

Question 6

Which statement about conformity is most consistent with how sociologists view it?

A) Socialization causes humans to passively conform to social norms.
B) Even after socialization, it is very difficult to get most people to conform.
C) It is possible for some people to conform too much.
D) Conformity ends when it leads people to enter into potentially dangerous behaviors.

Question 7

One consequence of socialization is that it makes people bearers of culture. What does this mean about the relationship between socialization and culture?

A) Socialization is passed on through genes, but culture is not.
B) Socialization makes little difference in people's lives; only culture does.
C) Socialization creates the tendency to act in socially unacceptable ways and is detrimental to culture.
D) Socialization creates culture and is also created by culture.

Question 8

Is it possible to conform too much to societal expectations? Explain your answer using examples.

Question 9

Define age stratification. Outline the functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionist perspectives on age stratification and discuss the similarities and differences.

Question 10

Which of the following is true about the family as an agent of socialization?

A) The family is rarely a person's first source of socialization.
B) In today's world, parents have a very minor role in the development of their child's identity.
C) Not all families socialize children in the same way or into the same expectations.
D) The media make up a more important source of gender socialization than the family.

Question 11

Describe the process of resocialization, the situations in which it is most likely to occur, and to whom. Briefly explain why some sociologists object to the use of the term brainwashing for the resocialization process.

Question 12

Bob is reflecting on himself-the kind of person he thinks he is, his strengths, his good qualities, and even things about himself he is not so fond of. He is thinking about his

A) innate experiences.
B) self-concept.
C) nature.
D) personality.

Question 13

How does religion contribute to the development of children's identities and shape not only their religious beliefs but also their entire worldviews?

Question 14

Define resocialization. Using a functionalist theory perspective, explain why this process may occur for some individuals in society.

Question 15

Which of the following has become increasingly important in terms of its influence on socialization?

A) The family
B) The mass media
C) Peer groups
D) Education

Question 16

Discuss socialization across the phases of the life course discussed in the text. Explain the function that rites of passage play in this process.

Question 17

Genie was studied intensively by scientists interested primarily in

A) how physical attractiveness affects personality.
B) language acquisition and the psychological effects of extreme confinement.
C) how typical social development progresses with age.
D) how the human genome affects personality development.

Question 18

Which of the following is false in regard to socialization and conformity?

A) All people are unique to some degree.
B) Conformity to social expectations eliminates individuality.
C) People resist some of society's expectations.
D) Most people do conform to varying degrees.

Question 19

According to Michael Messner's research on men and sports, sports

A) no longer play an important part in most men's lives.
B) are a fun pastime but have limited effects on socialization.
C) play an important part in gender role socialization.
D) are now more important to women than to men.

Question 20

Research on gender differences in self-perception suggests that women and men see themselves differently. For example, men rate themselves more highly on _____ than do women.

A) cooperativeness
B) spirituality
C) self-confidence
D) writing skills

Question 21

Psychoanalytic theory argues that

A) human identity changes at different stages throughout our lives.
B) social identity is the result of a conscious and creative process.
C) human behavior is shaped by the unconscious mind.
D) the self is an extension of the social standards of society, not instinctual influences.

Question 22

In addition to reinforcement, social learning theory asserts that _____ is important to socialization.

A) the unconscious mind
B) genetic predisposition
C) the presence of a role model
D) subconscious processing

Question 23

Which of the following statements regarding Freud's psychoanalytic theory is true?

A) The superego relates to the standards of society and morality.
B) The id relates to reason and common sense.
C) The ego relates to impulses.
D) The unconscious is independent of the superego and the id.

Question 24

Which of the following statements best describes social learning theory?

A) People are passive creatures who merely respond to stimuli in their environment.
B) Behaviors and attitudes develop in response to reinforcement and encouragement from those around us.
C) The importance of schema is overemphasized in theories of socialization.
D) There are no distinctive stages of cognitive development.

Question 25

Elspeth, a nonparent, watches her friend Maria's toddler daughter throw a genuinely impressive tantrum in a restaurant. Elspeth assures Maria that if she does not reinforce the girl's tantrums but rather models appropriate restaurant behavior and praises the girl when she behaves in an acceptable fashion, the tantrums will cease. Elspeth's views are most consistent with those of

A) social learning theory.
B) psychoanalytic theory.
C) symbolic interaction theory.
D) object relations theory.

Question 26

The difference between social learning theory and psychoanalytic theory is that social learning theory

A) sees human identity as indeterminate.
B) interprets human identity as a social process occurring late in life.
C) interprets human identity as a social process occurring early in life.
D) sees identity as a reinforced response to external social stimuli.

Question 27

Which of these statements is false from the perspective of symbolic interaction theory?

A) The self is what we imagine we are.
B) Humans make conscious choices in response to their social environment.
C) Identity is unconscious and hidden from view.
D) Social roles are real because people give meaning to them.

Question 28

Charles Horton Cooley's looking-glass self rests on

A) perception and effect.
B) reinforcement and punishment.
C) unconscious processes.
D) a series of discrete stages.

Question 29

Social learning theory views identity as

A) the result of shaping oneself in response to the expectations of others.
B) the result of the struggle with the unconscious.
C) the product of genetics.
D) the product of "I and the Me."

Question 30

According to _____, society relies on conformity to maintain its stability, while according to _____, social control agents exert pressure to conform.

A) symbolic interactionism; functionalism
B) social learning theory; conflict theory
C) functionalism; conflict theory
D) conflict theory; psychoanalytic theory

Question 31

Michael Messner's research on men and sports shows that

A) sports are often the context for developing relationships between men.
B) most men strive for a professional sporting career.
C) for most men, their closest peer relationships are within sports.
D) sports are more influential for men than for boys.

Question 32

Which theory of socialization sees identity as a product of different opportunities for different groups?

A) Conflict theory
B) Functionalism
C) Symbolic interactionism
D) Social learning theory

Question 33

Psychoanalytic theories of socialization are based on the work of Sigmund Freud, whose contribution is related to the

A) looking-glass self.
B) I and the Me.
C) idea that the unconscious mind shapes human behavior.
D) idea that much of who we are is learned.

Question 34

As agents of socialization, sports

A) are more important sources of identity for women than for men.
B) are where many ideas about gender differences are formed and reinforced.
C) have historically been significant in the formation of women's identity.
D) are less significant in the development of masculine identity than was previously believed.

Question 35

According to _____ theory, people internalize the role expectations that are present in society, while according to _____ theory, individual and group aspirations are shaped by the opportunities available to different groups .

A) psychoanalytic; functional
B) functional; conflict
C) conflict; social learning
D) object relations; social learning

Question 36

Sociologists who ascribe to ______ theory are often interested in how social inequality affects the development of an individual's identity.

A) psychoanalytic
B) functional
C) conflict
D) symbolic interaction

Question 37

Research on the behavior of teachers suggests that

A) they play an important role in socialization only when parental influences are absent.
B) the gender, race, and social class of the child all influence teacher behavior
C) teachers typically see working-class children as brighter and more motivated than children from wealthy families.
D) current disdain for public education has virtually eliminated the role of schools as agents of socialization.

Question 38

Through the process of socialization, we learn our _____, or the behaviors that are expected of us.

A) values
B) identities
C) personalities
D) roles

Question 39

Sociologists have found that parents teach religious beliefs to their children. Which of the following is a probable outcome of this type of religious socialization?

A) Children tend to develop the same religious beliefs as their parents.
B) Children develop their own religious beliefs based on their own spiritual experiences.
C) Children often adopt the religious beliefs of their peers.
D) Children's religious beliefs are most influenced by the mass media.

Question 40

According to the functionalist perspective, the internalization of societal values in the process of socialization is important because

A) it keeps workers subjugated.
B) it reinforces social consensus.
C) it reduces intrapsychic conflict.
D) people are happier when they conform.

Question 41

According to Charles Horton Cooley, in seeing ourselves as others do, we

A) respond to our subconscious need for approval.
B) imitate the play of others.
C) respond to how we think others judge us.
D) are punished for behaving incorrectly.

Question 42

In the game stage of socialization, children begin to learn

A) how to follow directions given by others.
B) that they are not always the center of everyone's attention.
C) how to take on multiple roles at the same time.
D) to imitate the behavior of significant others.

Question 43

The sociologist _____ argued that self-awareness develops as we see ourselves from the point of view of others.

A) Carol Gilligan
B) George Herbert Mead
C) Sigmund Freud
D) Jean Piaget

Question 44

In the process postulated by the looking-glass self, 

A) we develop our identity based on how we perceive ourselves.
B) we judge ourselves based on internalized standards.
C) we create malleable identities based on unconscious processes.
D) how we think others perceive us affects how we feel.

Question 45

Sociologists note that the way society is organized and people's lives within it are the result of social definitions and processes. In other words, sociologists state that our lives are socially

A) static.
B) differentiated.
C) constructed.
D) interactive.

Question 46

As children play, they not only imitate their _____ others but also incorporate their relationship with these important individuals into their play.

A) generalized
B) critical
C) significant
D) familiar

Question 47

According to symbolic interaction theory, the self is

A) the result of unconscious processes.
B) who we imagine ourselves to be.
C) determined largely by genetics.
D) the result of differential reinforcement.

Question 48

Mead's stages, in their correct order, are

A) imitation, game, play.
B) preoperational, play, concrete operational.
C) sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational.
D) imitation, play, game.

Question 49

Mead's term for the passive, conforming self that reacts to others is the

A) ego.
B) me.
C) I.
D) id.

Question 50

Putnam's research on youth from different social and economic backgrounds has shown that 

A) educational opportunities have increased for working-class youth.
B) working-class youth have a decreasing sense of community.
C) economic opportunities are opening up for working-class youth.
D) working-class youth are optimistic about the future.

Question 51

Sociologists believe that socialization

A) happens in the same way for all members of society.
B) is not uniform; no two people have exactly the same experience.
C) has a biological basis, and so the social context plays only a very small role in it.
D) encourages conformity over individual identity.

Question 52

From a symbolic-interactionist perspective, the key to the development of self is

A) our instinctual drives.
B) the reflective process.
C) childhood relations with a same-sex parent.
D) the effect of the division of labor on identity formation.

Question 53

Vern will soon be starting his first job for a large company known to be fairly harsh on new hires. As Vern transitions from his role as a laid-back student at a friendly, supportive small college to his role as a working adult, he should remember that

A) it is always fairly easy to transition from one role to another.
B) transitions can cause people to vacillate between old and new identities.
C) transitions always necessitate some type of anticipatory socialization.
D) adults usually struggle immensely when transitioning from one role to another.

Question 54

Researchers interested in how male and female students differ in their self-concepts have found that

A) males rate themselves lower on self-confidence.
B) females rate themselves higher on competitiveness.
C) males rate themselves higher on mathematical ability.
D) females rate themselves higher on risk-taking.

Question 55

In regard to the "nature versus nurture" debate, sociologists would tend to emphasize _____ because they view life as socially constructed.

A) nature
B) nurture
C) both nature and nurture
D) neither nature nor nurture

Question 56

Lora knows how children should act around adults-be respectful and courteous, address them by title, and refrain from silliness or pestering. She is thus shocked when another girl her age loudly addresses adults by their first names and is generally annoying around them. This suggests that Lora has acquired a _____ other quite different from that of the other child.

A) generalized
B) critical
C) significant
D) familiar

Question 57

Socialization during childhood is often _____, taking place through play and games that reinforce societal expectations.

A) direct
B) extreme
C) subtle
D) accidental

Question 58

Annette Lareau's research on middle-class, working-class, and poor children illustrates

A) that socialization contributes to the difficulties experienced by working-class and poor children as they negotiate their way through various social institutions.
B) the relatively few significant differences in the socialization experiences of middle-class and working-class children.
C) how working-class children are actually better off than middle-class children.
D) that socialization is not significantly class based.

Question 59

The phases of the life course

A) bind different generations and define some of life's most significant events.
B) control what individuals are allowed to do.
C) permit sociologists to study the internal construction of one's self.
D) keep individuals on the same path, fixed on the same goals.

Question 60

Mead believed that children acquire a concept of the generalized other during the _____ stage of childhood socialization.

A) imitation
B) play
C) game
D) preoperational

Question 61

Which of the following statements is true about a rite of passage?

A) A ceremony surrounding a rite of passage tends to be informal and "low key."
B) The U.S. society has no formalized rite of passage marking the transition from childhood to adulthood.
C) A rite of passage is a unique feature of American society.
D) A formal promotion cannot be considered a rite of passage.

Question 62

Women and men encounter different socialization patterns as they grow up because society has different expectations of males and females.

Question 63

The term agents of socialization refers to the institutions that impose roles on others.

Question 64

Socialization in the family is not uniform for all because different families emphasize different cultural expectations.

Question 65

Conforming to social expectations eliminates individuality.

Question 66

Which theory is consistent with the argument that the diminished usefulness of the elderly justifies their depressed earning power?

A) Functionalism
B) Conflict
C) Psychoanalytic
D) Symbolic interactionist

Question 67

The _____ perspective considers the meanings that have become attached to certain age groups and how those meanings influence behavior. For example, this perspective might consider how different cultures regard the elderly (e.g., as old and worn out or as wise and worthy) and the impact that has on how elders are treated.

A) functionalist
B) conflict
C) psychoanalytic
D) symbolic interactionist

Question 68

Socialization is voluntary for most people.

Question 69

According to the perspective of _____, age differentiation contributes to the common good of society because each group has varying levels of utility in society.

A) functional theory
B) conflict theory
C) symbolic interaction theory
D) psychoanalytic theory

Question 70

According to functionalist theory, age differentiation

A) contributes to the common good.
B) results from varied levels of power.
C) occurs in most societies in varying ways.
D) promotes inequality.

Question 71

From a sociological perspective, what a person becomes

A) is a result of innate traits.
B) can rarely be predicted, even in generalities.
C) results from social experiences.
D) is mainly genetic.

Question 72

By focusing on the competition for resources such as jobs, _____ theory offers an explanation of why both youth and the elderly are assigned lower status in society and are most likely to be poor.

A) functionalist
B) conflict
C) symbolic interaction
D) psychoanalytic

Question 73

An intellectual talent for math is best described as an example of

A) an innate trait.
B) a social experience.
C) a combination of nature and nurture.
D) an expected role.

Question 74

Socialization is a mode of social control because people internalize societal expectations.

Question 75

After 45 years of living an extremely stressful but rather sedentary life marked by less-than-healthy eating habits, Patrice had a heart attack. She has now become an exercise enthusiast, practitioner of mindfulness, and devotee of healthy eating. Patrice has experienced 

A) brainwashing.
B) transcendence.
C) hazing.
D) a conversion.

Question 76

From a sociological perspective, nature sets the stage for an individual's abilities, but socialization is necessary in order to fully develop them.

Question 77

Most children have the same religious beliefs as their parents.

Question 78

The mass media are important agents of socialization. If they present pervasive violent images, this may have the result of desensitizing children to the effects of violence and engendering less sympathy for victims of violence.

Question 79

Ageism refers to

A) a negative attitude about an age group that is generalized to all people in that group.
B) the institutionalized practice of prejudice and discrimination related to age.
C) the different and unequal treatment of people based solely on their age.
D) the hierarchical ranking of different age groups in society.

Question 80

Lupe realizes that, at age 63, she is regarded as an "older" person, but she is really tired of strangers who assume that, as an older person, she needs assistance with any task requiring even minimal technological skills. Lupe is tired of experiencing

A) ageism.
B) age stratification.
C) age cohort.
D) age reversal.