Chapter 11 Families and Socialization

Chapter Summary While it is common to use the term the family as if it only consisted of one form, this chapter forcefully demonstrates that there is no such thing as the family; rather, Canada, as a result of changing demographics as well as changing social and legal norms, is marked by a diverse range of family forms. In other words, it is more appropriate to talk of families, rather than the family. A recurrent theme throughout the chapter is the distinction between the idealized family and the actual family; that is, family members are ideally expected to care for and protect other members. In actuality, they may not care for them at all; some families even neglect, exploit, or abuse their own members. While indifference and abuse are not idealized and normative features of family life, they are nonetheless a common occurrence. Families are also primary socialization agents; it is in the context of the family home that children gain the knowledge necessary to become functioning members of society. However, it is noted that socialization also results in the perpetuation of inequalities of class, gender, and race. As noted in an earlier chapter, socialization is a life-long process; thus, the types of socialization that take place beyond childhood and adolescence are also examined in this chapter.

Learning Objectives In this chapter, you will learn to distinguish between good and bad parenting, and see how parenting influences a childs characteristics; find out how families cope differently with opportunities and crises; see how families reproduce gender, race, ethnicity, and class identities; and, come to understand the different forms families can take and the ways family life has changed over time.

Key Terms anticipatory socialization: Learning about and preparing for future roles, built on accumulated learning. census family: A household that includes two spousesopposite or same-sex, married or cohabiting (if they have lived together for longer than one year)with or without never-married children, or a single parent with one or more never-married children.

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extended family: Multiple generations of relatives living together, or several adult siblings with their spouses and children who share a dwelling and resources. More than three kinds of relationships may be present. family: For the purpose of this chapter, any social unit, or set of social relations, that does what families are popularly imagined to do, by whatever means it does so. primary socialization: Learning that takes place in the early years of a persons life that is crucial to the formation of an individuals personality. resocialization: Learning within social institutions aimed at retraining or reprogramming people. secondary socialization: Learning that occurs after childhood, usually involving learning specific roles, norms, attitudes, or beliefs, and sometimes involving self-imposed learning. socialization: The lifelong social learning a person undergoes to become a capable member of society, through social interaction with others, and in response to social pressures.

Recommended Readings Handel, G. (ed.) (2006). Childhood Socialization, 2nd ed. New Brunswick, NJ: Aldine Transaction. This book examines agents of socialization that have an impact on social learning by children. It gives an interesting account of how socialization differs in different societies and cultures. Albanese, P. (2007). Children in Canada Today. Toronto: Oxford University Press. This book is part of a series of works on important sociological topics with specific emphasis on Canadian issues. Albanese explores themes of childhood socialization, such as socializing agents and their impact, changes in social policy, and the relation of socialization to family and social problems. Bibby, R. W. (2001). Canadas Teens: Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow. Toronto: Stoddart. Canadian sociologist Reginald Bibby is well known for his surveys of adolescents and adults, as well as his studies of religion. This book historically explores the experiences of adolescents around topics like violence, sex, and drugs in relation to teenager beliefs, values, worries, and enjoyments. Baker, M. (2007). Choices and Constraints in Family Life. Toronto: Oxford University Press.

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In this book, the author examines families within a historical and cross-cultural context. She argues that although we now have more choice in intimate partners, sexual behaviour, and the types of families we live in, these choices are also influenced by socio-economic context, including social policies, technology, educational opportunities, and so on. All of these must be examined to understand the changing nature of Canadian families. Tapscott, D. (1998). Growing Up Digital: The Rise of the Net Generation. New York: McGrawHill. In this book, Tapscott argues that the children of baby boomers are part of what he calls the Net generation, meaning they are growing up surrounded by high-tech toys and tools from birth. This preoccupation with technology may have a significant impact on the future of these children, changing the nature of education, commerce, recreation, the workplace, government, and the family. McDaniel, S. A., & Tepperman, L. (2010). Close Relations: An Introduction to the Sociology of Families, 3rd ed. Scarborough, ON: Pearson Educational. This is a Canadian overview of research and social theories about family life, examining topics such as the history of Canadian families, intimate relationships, parenting, stress and violence in the family context, and the future of families. Becker, H. S., Geer, B., Hughes, E. C., & Strauss, A. L. (1961). Boys in White: Student Culture in Medical School. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. This is a classic sociological work on professional socialization. It not only explores how medical students learn about medical terms, healthcare, disease, prevention, and so on, but also focuses on how medical school socializes students into the social role of the doctor. Recommended Websites Vanier Institute of the Family www.vifamily.ca The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) www.statcan.gc.ca/imdb-bmdi/4450-eng.htm Todays Parent www.todaysparent.com Canadian Child Care Federation www.cccf-fcsge.ca Childcare Research and Resource Unit (CRRU) www.childcarecanada.org

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Public Safety Canada www.safecanada.ca

Multiple Choice Questions 1. __________ see the family as a microcosm of society, with individual family members coming together in a unified and productive whole. a) b) c) d) 2. a) b) c) d) 3. Symbolic interactionists Critical theorists Functionalists Feminists According to Talcott Parsons and Robert Bales, the husband of the household performs a(n) __________ role, while the wife performs an __________ role. expressive; instrumental dominant; subservient instrumental; expressive I; Me

Which of the following statements regarding critical theorists approaches to family life is not true? a) They take a historical approach to this subject. b) They look for universal truths about family life. c) They focus on political and economic changes in society to explain changes in family life. d) all of the above

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Helen is conducting research on myths about family. She is most likely working from the __________ perspective. a) b) c) d) symbolic interactionist postmodernist feminist critical

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5. a) b) c) d) 6. a) b) c) d) 7.

The top-down approach to socialization is associated with the __________ perspective. authoritarian critical symbolic interactionist functionalist Charles Horton Cooley and George Herbert Mead were both __________ theorists. functionalist symbolic interactionist critical postmodernist

Charles Horton Cooley termed the sense of awareness we acquire about ourselves through the reactions of others as the a) b) c) d) self-identity. social self. looking-glass self. generalized other. __________ divided the self-concept into the I and the Me. a) b) c) d) Talcott Parsons Sigmund Freud Charles Horton Cooley George Herbert Mead According to George Herbert Mead, __________ is central to successful socialization. a) b) c) d) play strict parenting a good education all of the above

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9.

10.

Which of the following is not a trend in changing family patterns as identified by William Goode? a) The decrease in family size, virtually everywhere in the world. b) Family patterns everywhere are moving towards the modified nuclear family model.

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c) A change in role relations, with women and children having more power. d) The increased acceptance of changed social morals and virtues. 11. a) b) c) d) 12. a) b) c) d) 13. a) b) c) d) 14. a) b) c) d) 15. Multiple generations of relatives living together is an example of a(n) nuclear family. census family. extended family. conjugal family. Same-sex couples represent about _____ percent of all couples in Canada. 0.6 2.5 10.1 12.4 Single-parent families represent about _____ percent of all families in Canada. 6 11 16 25 Which of the following statements about cohabiting unions is true? Cohabiting couples are more likely to break up than are married ones. Cohabiting unions last for a shorter time than legal marriages. Cohabiting unions are less likely to draw support from extended families. all of the above Which of the following is not example of a census family? a) Children living with grandparents with no parents present. b) A same-sex couple with no children. c) An opposite-sex couple, their dependent children, as well as an aunt and uncle living under the same roof. d) A single parent with one or more never-married children.

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16.

The lifelong social learning a person undergoes to become a capable person of society is known as a) b) c) d) socialization. primary socialization. life course socialization anticipatory socialization. __________ socialization refers to the learning about and preparing for future roles. a) b) c) d) Primary Anticipatory Secondary Preparatory Which of the following is an example of an experience involving resocialization? a) b) c) d) taking a job-training course joining a grief support group incarceration in prison all of the above

17.

18.

19.

Which of the following statements regarding prejudice and authoritarian personalities is not true? a) Prejudice is linked to political and social conservative attitudes of various types. b) People who are prejudiced against Jews are not prejudiced against blacks, immigrants, and other minorities. c) Prejudice is related to beliefs in superstition and fatalism. d) Anti-introspection and repression are important parts of the authoritarian personality.

20.

According to the textbook, __________ families attach the highest importance to independence and hard work. a) b) c) d) middle-class working-class immigrant both a and c

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True or False Questions 1. According to the textbook, a family can be defined as any social unit that does what families are imagined to do, by whatever means it does so. 2. In most cultures and over most of human history, polygamy has been the norm. 3. Functionalists offer the most accepted view of socialization in sociology. 4. Peer socialization is, in some circumstances, as important as socialization by parents and teachers. 5. Polls show that, over the past decade, Canadians are attaching less importance to marriage and children. 6. Socialization is a universal feature of family life, whatever the culture or family form. 7. Primary socialization interests microsociologists much more so than macrosociologists. 8. Anticipatory socialization is built on future learning. 9. Most gender socialization is not intentional. 10. According to Arlie Hochschild, service-oriented jobs require more emotional labour than other types of jobs.

Short Answer Questions 1. Describe the functionalist approach to the family. 2. Define and distinguish between the terms primary socialization and secondary socialization. 3. Drawing on the research cited in the textbook, describe the postmodern approach to marital dissolution (i.e., divorce).

Short Essay Questions 1. What are the features of modern families as outlined in the textbook? 2. Discuss the importance of class socialization on childrens upbringing and subsequent longterm effects on their lives.

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3. According to Arlie Hochschild, the ways that humans feel and express emotions are largely social. How does her concept of emotion work support this argument?

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Answer Key: Multiple Choice Questions 1. c (p. 305) 2. c (p. 305) 3. b (p. 306) 4. a (p. 306) 5. d (p. 307) 6. b (p. 308) 7. c (p. 308) 8. d (p. 308) 9. a (p. 308) 10. b (p. 309) 11. c (p. 309) 12. a (p. 310) 13. c (p. 310) 14. d (p. 305, 310) 15. c (p. 313) 16. a (p. 315) 17. b (p. 316) 18. d (p. 317) 19. b (p. 319) 20. d (p. 322) Answer Key: True or False Questions 1. T (p. 304) 2. F (p. 304) 3. F (p. 307) 4. T (p. 307) 5. F (p. 312) 6. T (p. 315) 7. F (p. 315) 8. F (p. 316) 9. T (p. 321) 10. T (p. 324) Short Answer Questions 1. Functionalists consider the family to be a vital social institution that performs a variety of functions that are beneficial to society as a whole: reproduction, socialization, supporting the work force, and providing for the familys practical and financial needs. (p. 312)

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2. Primary socialization refers to learning that takes place in the early years of a persons life; it is crucial to the formation of an individuals personality. Primary socialization mainly takes place in the context of the family home. Secondary socialization, on the other hand, refers to learning that occurs after childhood, usually involving learning specific roles, norms, attitudes, or beliefs, and sometimes involving self-imposed learning. (p. 315) 3. Postmodernists note that major studies of divorce and single parenting tend to portray divorced single parents and their families in a negative light. Moreover, the stigma attached to single motherhood causes divorced mothers to feel guilty. However, therapy based in a postmodern perspective stresses the positive and empowering aspects of single motherhood. (pp. 326327)

Short Essay Questions 1. The textbook identifies five features modern families typically share; note, however, that not all these features are beneficial for all the family members. Moreover, some of the features characterize the idealized family; that is, they constitute what we believe families should do, rather than what they actually do. (1) Dependency and intimacyFamily relations tend to include long-term commitments, both between the individual members and to the family as a social unit. Ideally, the family provides members with warm and intimate relationships and helps them feel satisfied and secure. However, that is not always the case, as many families lack attachment and commitments among their members. (2) SexualityFamilies set boundaries for sexual relations. The adult partners are expected to have a long-term, exclusive sexual relationship. Sexual boundaries are tightly drawn: sex between parents and children is considered abusive, as is sex between siblings. (3) ProtectionIdealized families protect their members, especially children, from internal and external dangers. Adult children are also expected to protect and help their elderly parents; however, in reality, some families not only fail to protect their members, they are involved in their neglect, abuse, and exploitation. (4) PowerPower is not evenly distributed among family members: power imbalances involve differences in strength, age, and social resources. Of particular importance is patriarchy, a system of domination of women by men. In patriarchal families, the dominant male (typically the husband/father) acts as head of the household and holds power and authority over his wife and children. (5) ViolenceEven though family members are supposed to protect each other, families are also often marked by violence. Typically, when violence occurs in the family setting, it involves partner assault by a male. While violence is not idealized and is non-normative, it remains nonetheless a common occurrence. (pp. 314315) 2. In the process of class socialization, parents communicate their life experiences, including their experiences in the workplace and feelings about their position in society. Consequently, children are made aware of their place in the social hierarchy. Class socialization shapes childrens values and perceptions and, in turn, affects their future goals and ambitions. Children whose parents value independent thinking and hard work typically do well in school and in the workforce. On the other hand, children who are taught that hard work is futile and

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education is irrelevant are not likely to succeed, either educationally or occupationally. It is also important to note that parents also shape their childrens views about social inequality. If parents do not raise the issue of fairness in discussions of wealth and poverty, children will accept great disparities in wealth and poverty. They may believe that people deserve their economic situationwhether rich or poorand that nothing can be done to help the poor. (pp. 322323) 3. Although emotions are often considered a result of biological and physiological factors, Hochschild argues that social factors determine the way we interpret and shape our emotions. Like other aspects of social life, there are norms or expectations about how to feel in different situations. Hochschild called the norms that govern our emotional lives feeling rules. According to Hochschild, we follow feeling rules just as we follow other rules of behaviour. We are expected to manage our feelings according to these rules: for example, we try to be happy at a party, or sad at a funeral. Hochschild further advanced the concept of what she calls emotional labourwork in which someone must develop the right emotion in themselves, and encourage the client or customer to also feel the right emotion. People in sales and service jobs commonly do this type of work. Hochschild cites the example of flight attendants, who must try to instil calm emotions in nervous passengers, as well as manage their own feelings when passengers cause difficulty. (p. 324)