Social Norms And Values: A Social Analysis

Chapter 3 of Essential of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach by James M. Henslin discusses the topic of socialization, which is the process by which people learn the characteristics of their group—the knowledge, attitudes, skills, norms, values, and actions thought appropriate for them. Sociologists try to determine how much of a person’s characteristics comes from “nature” (heredity) and how much from “nurture” (social environment). Studying feral, isolated, and institutionalized children, such as The Skeels/Dye Experiment, have helped them understand how “society makes us human.” The theories and research of Charles Horton Cooley, George Herbert Mead, and Piaget to explain socialization into the self and mind. Cooley’s looking-glass self theory focuses on how we believe others perceive us.

Sarah Veslany PLSC 428 Final Exam 4/28/2015 Contemporary social science asserts that there are no gender binaries that exist in nature, but rather that social institutions, history, and public pressure encourages people to conform to and display heteronormative behavior. Gender in this particular issue is referring to how an individual identifies themselves psychologically. Meaning that gender in a social science context alludes to the cultural interpretation of masculine and feminine characteristics rather that the biological foundation of gender. Gender is seen as a recurring performance of gendered behavior. The social science field rejects biological differences in gender and instead puts emphasis on how societal constructs of gender.

It is the natural behavior of people to evaluate the things around them according to the norms, values and beliefs of their culture. Although the world has become a global village but there is still cultural difference that influence the ideology of people.

The sociology of gender is one of the largest subfields within sociology; sociological gender studies look at the social construction of gender and how gender interacts with other social structures within society (Crossman, 2016). It Is important that one understands the difference between sex and gender to understand the sociology of gender; unlike gender, sex is biologically determined and relates to the reproductive organs a person has. In order to separate gender and sex sociologists use different pronouns; when discussing gender, sociologists use the terms man/woman and when discussing sex sociologists will use the terms male/female (Crossman, 2016). Although most people fall into wither the category of male or female, some people are born with ‘sex organs’ that do not clearly fit into either of the two specific sex categories, these people are known as intersex (Ashley Crossman, 2016). Gender is described as a social classification based on one’s identity and how one presents themselves to the world; this identity relates to the way one behaves and interacts within society. Many sociologists view gender as a learned behaviour and look at gendered identities as being culturally produced which makes gendered identities socially constructed (Crossman,

What does it mean to be a woman or man? Whether we a man or a woman, in today’s society it is not determined just by our sex organs. Our gender includes a complex mix of beliefs, behaviors, and characteristics. How do you act, talk, and behave like a woman or man? Are you feminine or masculine, both, or neither? These are questions that help us get to the core of our gender and gender identity. Gender identity is how we feel about and express our gender and gender roles: clothing, behavior, and personal appearance. It is a feeling that we have as early as age two or three. In the article, “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender,” the author, Aaron Devor, is trying to persuade his readers that gender shapes how we behave because of the expectation from us and relate to one another. He does this by using an educational approach, describing gender stereotypes, and making cultural references. He gets readers to reflect on how “Children’s developing concepts of themselves as individuals are necessarily bound up …to understand the expectations of the society which they are a part of” (389). Growing up, from being a child to an adult is where most of us try to find ourselves. We tend to struggle during this transition period, people around us tell us what to be and not to be, Jamaica Kincaidt in her short story, “Girl” tells just that, the setting is presented as a set of life instructions to a girl by her mother to live properly. The mother soberly

The concept of gender has a strong social impact on me. When I was born, I was immediately assigned to a biological sex as a female with two X chromosomes. I was then socially classified as a girl in the society with feminine gender roles. Gender is defined as a social principle which attribute to the roles and expectations of males and females through the years of different societies (Phillips, 2005). Gender can be considered as behavioural, cultural and psychological traits

In the article, “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender,” the author, Aaron Devor, is trying to convince his audience that gender shapes how we behave and relate to one another. He does this by using an educational approach, describing gender stereotypes, and making cultural references. These rhetorical devices serve his larger goal of getting readers to reflect on how their childhoods formed their genders. “Maleness and femaleness seem “natural,” not the product of socialization.” (Devor 527) Throughout his article, he makes us wonder whether or not gender is recognized through socializing.

Socialization is the activity of socializing with others and it is the process of learning to behave in the way that is acceptable in society. Socialization and crime walk hand and hand due to the social process theories that hold that criminality is a function of an individual socialization. The theory draws attention to the interactions that people have with various institutions, processes of society and different organizations. Most people are influenced by their familial relationships, interactions with authority figure, peer group associations, and educational experiences, including employers, teachers, and different agents of the justice system. People can succeed within the many rules of society is these relationships are supportive

Gender socialisation is the learning of gender roles appropriate for the particular culture or society. Gender identity and gender roles can sometimes be mistaken as the same thing but, gender identity is more to do with the subjective state in which one identifies him/herself as a man or a women and a gender role relates to the learning and performing of socially accepted characteristics for a given

If people, according to Durkin & Carrothers (2015) know and “understand the culture and the social system built upon it, they can potentially put the system to use.” If they do not understand the way of life of the society in which they live, their lives can be confusing and unpredictable. For society, socialization produces a measure of continuity from one generation to another. After all, society needs new participants, and socialization is a major process through which society attracts, facilitates and maintains participation. The efforts of the group to help individuals learn the system range from formal, structural programs in which the group is responsible for the outcome, to unstructured, informed processes in which the individual is responsible for the outcome. Families, for example, is the most important agent of socialization expected to teach children to speak and school is expected to teach children (nature and nurture) advance

According to Michael Messner, our society practices the act of gender socialization by ignoring “group and contextual factors while overemphasizing ‘the constitutional and unfolding of individuals as boys or girls’” (312). Additionally, gender socialization is defining and executing actions that are masculine versus feminine. We have seen with extensive research that, through generations, the definition of gender socialization is conformed and practiced differently. As an example, I have interviewed two people from different generations and asked questions about their experiences and beliefs about masculinity and femininity role. Although there were similar answers, it is evident that gender is socialized differently between generations. The understanding of gender socialization is manipulated differently; however, there are similar beliefs throughout different ages of life.

In this paper we will discuss how sociology helps us to understand how human behavior

"'Society makes us normal,' this is what sociologist refers to when they discuss socialization" (p.73). Socialization is what has impacted our life. Our major agents are our families, our peers, and mass media this influences gender, but we are also looking at how our family, neighborhood, religion, day care, school, peer groups, and workplace influences more" (p.87). All major aspects of who we are. Which impacts you the most?

Socialization refers to the process by which individuals internalize the values, beliefs, and rules of society and learn to function as members within that community; they learn what society finds acceptable or normal in different situations (Conley 2013). Norms taught to individuals, are in place to maintain standards of behavior. For instance, families teach folkways or customs to children; teaching them not to burp loudly while eating at a restaurant or to not pick their boogers when they are out in public are ways to socialize them. Even though this acceptable for them to do while they are kids, these actions will not be welcomed once they are adults. Doing these things in public can cause people to look at them in disgust or can cause them to be categorized as socially deviant individuals (Conley 2013). In addition, laws put in place by a government are there for individuals to follow because theoretically individuals that live in a nation believe in that country’s values. Drunk driving is illegal in the United States, then it can be assumed that citizens will follow that law because they like the government value their lives and the lives of others.

“Gender identity is our psychological awareness or sense of being male or female, and it’s one of the most obvious and important aspects of our self-concept” (Rathus, p. 159). The main source of gender identity in our culture is physical appearance. Our culture is accustom to being able to look at a person and instantly judge their gender based on the common physical appearance and traits of being male or female. Male gender identity can typically be recognized based on having short hair, facial hair, taller and more muscular body shape, and the traditional style and color of clothing such as pants, shorts, and t-shirts. Female gender identity can typically be recognized based on having longer hair, wearing make-up, body shape including breasts, and traditional clothing for females including a colorful wardrobe, skirts, dresses, and high heels.