Chapter 4 Intro to Sociology Vocabulary

The social processes through which children develop an awareness of social noms and values and achieve a distinct sense of the self; these are particularly influential in childhood but continue throughout life

The process of perpetuating values, norms and social practices through socialization, which leads to structural continuity over time

Mead believes that infants do this while playing, and that it is at this stage that they develop a sense of self

The basis of self-consciousness in human individuals, according to the theory of Mead; this is an identity conferred upon an individual by the reactions of others

Awareness of ones distinct social identity as a person separate from others; human beings aren't born with it but rather acquire it as a result of early socialization- the learning of language is important for this

A concept in Mead's theory, according to which the individual takes over the general values of a given group or society during the socialization process

Believed in the four stages of cognitive development: the sensorimotor stage, the pre-operational stage, the concrete operational stage and the formal operational stage

Groups or social contexts within which processes of socialization take place

The system found in small traditional cultures by which people belonging to a similar age-group are categorized together and hold similar rights and obligations

Agents of socialization

Socially defined expectations of an individual in a given status or social position

The distinctive characteristics of a person's or group's character that relate to how they are and what is meaningful to them; some of the main sources of this include gender, sexual orientation, nationality/ethnicity, and social class

The characteristics that are attributed to an individual by others

The ongoing process of self-development and definition of our personal identity through which we formulate a unique sense of ourselves and our relationship to the world around us

The learning of gender roles through social factors such as schooling, the media, and family