Question

Socialization can be considered a generic social process that is composed of several sub-processes. what are these sub-processes and what are the preconditions for each that were discussed in class? in what ways do these preconditions and sub-processes contribute to the development of a sense of self in the process of socialization? how do these preconditions relate to those discussed in the required book by handel, cahill and elkin (children and society: the sociology of children and childhood socialization)?

Answer 1

According to Erik H. Erikson, the process of social development consists of:

• Infancy: Where the individual learns to trust and mistrust.

• Toddlerhood: Where the individual discerns challenge vs autonomy.

• Preschool: Where the individual understands the difference between initiative and guilt.

• Pre-Adolescence: Where the individual learns about industriousness and inferiority.

• Adolescence: Where the individual struggles between identity and confusion.

• Young Adulthood: Where the individual deals between intimacy or isolation

• Middle-Adulthood: Where the individual confronts the challenge of trying to make the difference.

• Old Age: Where the individual struggles between integrity and despair.

The mentioned book tries to portrait the development of the individual throughout his years at a school. It uses the early sub-processes of Socialization (Infancy, Toddlerhood, Preschool, Pre-Adolescence, and Adolescence) as a base for its analysis and subsequent conclusions.