Theories of Socialization

Theories of Socialization
Dr Juhi Gupta
Dr Shah Alam
Cooley’s Theory of Socialization

• According to Charles Horton Cooley, ‘people form their self-images through
interaction with other people. That means significant others shape us as individuals.
• A Significant Other is someone whose opinions matter to us and who is in a position to
influence our thinking, especially about ourselves.
• A significant other can be anyone, such as a parent, sibling, spouse, or best friend.
Cooley’s theory of socialization involves this notion of the looking-glass self.

The Looking-Glass Self refers to a self-image that is based on how we think others see us.
Cooley suggested a three-step process in developing the self:

Step 1
The imagination of our appearance to the other person. (We imagine that a significant other
perceives us in a certain way).
Step 2
The imagination of his judgment of that appearance. (We imagine that he or she makes a
judgment about us based on that perception).
Step 3
Some sort of self-feeling, such as pride or mortification. (We form a self-image based on how
we think our significant other sees us).
The primary group plays a central role in socialization. Primary groups are characterized by
intimate, face-to face association, direct cooperation and conflict, a relatively free play of
personality and of sentiment. Though primary groups are present in all social organizations
according to Cooley, the family, play group and neighbourhood play crucial role in the process
of socialization. Cooley called these groups primary because they are the nursery of human
nature, providing the individual with his earliest and most complete experience of social unity.
This group experience gives rise to social ideals such as the spirit of service, kindness, adherence
to social norms etc.
People shape themselves based on what other people perceive and confirm other people’s
opinion of themselves.
There are three main components of the looking-glass self:
• We imagine how we must appear to others.
• We imagine the judgment of that appearance.
• We develop our self through the judgments of others.
Mead’s Theory of Socialization
Mead’s theory of social self is based on the perspectives that the self emerges from social
interactions, such as:
• Observing and interacting with others
• Responding to other’s opinions about oneself
• And internalizing external opinions and internal feelings about oneself.
According to Mead, the self is not there from birth, but it is developed overtime from social
experiences and activities.
Mead suggested that three activities develop the self which include languages, play and games.
Language: develops self by allowing individuals to respond to each other through symbols,
gestures, words and sounds.
Play: develops self by allowing individuals to take on different roles, pretend and express
expectations of others. Play develops one’s self-consciousness through role playing.
Games: develop self by allowing individuals to understand and adhere to the rules of the
activity. Self is developed by understanding that there are rules in which one must abide by in
order to win the game or be successful at an activity.
According to Mead, the individual and society are inseparable. Society represents the organized
interactions among diverse individuals. Thus, the individuals create social environment. On the
other hand only society makes individual a human being. The self of the individual develops
from interaction with others in society and interaction is not possible without communication.
The communication is based on symbols with shared meanings.
Freud’s Theory of Socialization
According to Sigmund Freud, “basic biological instincts combine with societal factors to
shape personalities.”
Freud emphasizes that a major part of human personality is formed in the childhood and during
rest of the life it is elaborated and sharpened.
According to Sigmund Freud the human mind has three main regions:
i) Consciousness
ii) Preconsciousness
iii) Unconsciousness.
• The conscious region of mind relates the individual with present events and activities in
life.
• Preconscious region stores up memories, which easily enters consciousness.
• The unconscious region is the store house of all the repressed desires and bitter
experiences which are unacceptable to the conscious mind.
Freud suggested that the mind consists of three parts that must interact properly for a person to
function well in society. If any one of the three parts becomes dominant, personal and social
problems may result.
For a more comprehensive analysis of human personality, Freud shifts his emphasis from the
regions of mind to the structure and function of personality.
It is the interaction among 'id', 'ego' and 'superego' that gives a definite shape to the individual's
personality.
• Id: Id is the source of mental and instinctive energy. It is seated in the unconscious and
works on 'pleasure principle'. It believes only in what Freud calls 'true psychic reality'. It
knows nothing about rules, regulations, values and moralities and never bothers about the
objective reality in society. The main objective of id is to avoid pain and discharge
tension. It must satisfy its needs, even if it has to arrange imaginary means such as
nocturnal dreams. But such imaginary means is not really capable of reducing tension.
Example: The child never stops crying until the mother fulfills the desire of the kid. (Kid
fighting for Ice cream)
• Ego is the second stage which is the balance between both id and superego on one hand
& reality on another hand. In this stage individual demands as well as obey for the reality
principle (real life). It stands in between both conscious and preconscious. In order to
avoid tension the 'id ' desires to satisfy needs immediately, whereas 'ego' restrains the
satisfaction of needs unless appropriate object of satisfaction is available. The ego
decides what is right and what is wrong, what is acceptable and what is not acceptable or
what is possible what is not possible. The action of an individual is guided by the 'ego' in
choosing from among these alternatives on realistic principle.
• Example: In the University campus, Students are protesting or demanding for their
scholarship in a democratic way
• Super Ego is the third stage which is entirely opposite to the Id. In the stage the
individual is concerned with moral values, emotions, expectation, standards and ideals. t
strives for neither real, nor imaginary real. It concerns itself with what is ideal. Its main
function is to decide whether the chosen object of satisfaction of needs is right or wrong
from the point of view' of the moral principles of society.
Example: A good politician has several ways to involve in scam. Even though, he will
not do that because of his ethical and moral values won’t allow

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Theories of Socialization

Cooley’s Theory of Socialization

Cooley’s theory of socialization involves this notion of the looking-glass self.

Cooley suggested a three-step process in developing the self:

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