Agents of Socialization
Agents of Socialization
and Environment in
Personality Development
• Heredity and environment (nature and
nature) interact in complex ways in
forming our social identities.
• Heredity provides the raw
materials or the potentialities for
growth and personality formation.
Such genetic materials set the limit for
growth and development.
• Environment, on the other hand,
provides the provides the opportunities,
nurturance and stimulation that would
determine whether the inherited
biological makeup would be developed
or stunted. A rich learning environment
can stretch genetic potential to its limit.
But even so, a rich environment cannot
overcome the limitations imposed by
the genetic endowment.
Theories of
Personality
Development
1. Freud's Theory of
Socialization
• The "id" is the reservoir of sexual and
aggressive urges. It is centered on the
satisfaction of basic needs like food
and sex and dominated by the
pleasure principle.
• The "ego" is the rational part of the self
that interprets information obtained
through the senses and that finds
realistic and acceptable ways of
satisfying biological cravings. The
cognitive and intellectual processes are
controlled by the ego.
• The "superego" or conscience stands
for the internalized ideas of right and
wrong, the traditional values and morals
of the society.
• The id (biological drives) and the superego
(conscience) are continually in conflict, while
the ego mediates between them.
• An adult who frequently displays
infantile behavior like egocentrism, aggression,
or undisciplined pleasure-seeking behavior is
likely to be operating within the "id" principle. A
natural, disciplined, intelligent, rational, and
realistic individual operates under the "ego"
principle, while one who is overly virtuous,
conscionable, overbearing, pious and religious
operates under the "superego" principle.
2. Cultural
Determinism Theory
The cultural determinism theory
held by anthropologists views
culture and the cultural
environment as the main factor
that determines human behavior.
Franz Boas' view that personality development
is a result of learned ways of the group.
Ruth Benedict maintains
that individual
personalities of
members of society are
tiny replicas o their
overall culture, with the
culture as the sum total
of their personalities.
Personality is culturally
conditioned. The is
culturally conditioned.
The personality of a
member of a social
group generally
reflects the culture of
the group to which
he/she belongs.
3. Symbolic
Interactionism
Theory
• The basic idea in this theory is that
personality is the result of the
interaction between individuals
mediated by symbols or lanugage.
Language is crucial in the
development of the social self.
According to George
Herbert, the self
consists of two parts
namely: the "I", which
is active, spontaneous,
and idiosyncratic, and
the "me" refers to the
self which has acquired
a social status through
social interaction and
recognition of the status
and roles of others.
Charles Horton Cooley (1964) calls
that social self the "looking glass
self". This is the conception of the
self or the ability to visualize oneself
through the responses of others.
We acquire our sense of self by
seeing ourselves reflected in
others' behavior and attitude toward
us and by imagining what others
think about us.
Charles Horton Cooley
4. Biological Determinism Theory
This theory views that inherited biological structures as the
main factor that determines human behavior. The
genetic endowments provide the foundations that
determine the type and quality of personality that will be
formed through social interaction. Superior physical and
mental endowments are likely to produce individuals
with better physical attributes and above-average mental
abilities.
Great leaders of men and nations, men and women who
guide that destinies of human history, people who have
contributed outstanding works for the betterment of
mankind like scientist, inventors, philosophers, social
and political thinkers, saints, heroes, and martyrs are
men and women endowed with better genetic potentials.
5. Labeling Theory
In this theory, personality is viewed as the result of
society's labeling on human behavior as either
good or bad. Different forms of behavior are given
labels or tags through the consensus of the
members of the society: Behavior which conforms
to the values, customs, beliefs, and norms of the
society is labeled as good, ethical, acceptable and
appropriate .
Behavior which is unacceptable and inimical to the
groups' welfare is labeled as bad. In fine, the
labeling theory suggests that a particular behavior
is neither good nor bad. It is society's labeling that
makes a particular behavior as either good or
bad.
Functions Of The Socialization
Media (1991) gives the functions of socialization as follows:
• 1. Through the process of socialization, the group transmits
its values, customs and beliefs from one generation to
another. Culture is socially transmitted through formal and
informal education, apprenticeship training or experience.
• 2. Socialization enables the individual to grow and develop
into a socially functioning person. Socialization provides the
knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for his effective
functioning in the society.
• 3. Socialization is a means of social control by which
members are encouraged to conform to the ways of the
group by internalizing the groups' norms and values.
Self-disciplined , conformity to expected behavior,
compliance to codes of conduct, and obedience to the laws
and established values are developed through socialization.
Agents of Socialization