The individual and Society

1
The individual and Society

• Are you created by your society?
• Thinking sociologically involves seeing the
  relationship between the individual and society
  as two way.

2
Social Identity

• Relationship with others
• Label that places/categorize people in particular
  social categories.
• Associating ourselves with the group we belong
  to.
• Imbibe the customs and traditions from the
  society.
• E.g. Nationality, ethnicity.

3
Social roles

• Sociologists consider gender has important social
  dimensions.
• Roles played by males and females differ.
• Society describe the roles of the individual.
• Others expect us to behave in a particular
  manner.

4
Personal identity

• Characteristics that say something about you as a
  specific individual.
• Think how your personal identity is developed in
  you?
• Is that socially constructed???
• E.g..

5
Socialisation

• Socialisation refers to the process through which
  human beings learns to be a member of a
  particular society.
• Learn the values and norms of society
• Act or conform to these norms.
• It is a life long process ( from cradle to grave)

6
Socialisation at different stages

• Primary Socialisation by family
• Secondary socialisation- by schools
• Tertiary socialisation at adulthood at work
  place and in old age.

7
Self and identity

• Self is the image of what a person is.
• Social identity- social self
• Personal identity- characteristics that is unique
  to the individual.
• Distinction between Social identity and personal
  identity is one way of documenting social change
• In pre modern societies social
  identity defined who they were throughout their
  lives, but in modern societies the opportunities
  are high and it is more important to focus on the
  personal identity.

8
Role of others

• Reactions of others define or redefine the
  identity of the individual.
• Sociologists are interested in identities
  suddenly redefined by others
• Egcriminals,bankrupt,unemployed
• People in this situations are confronted with
  managing a spoiled identity (E.Goffman)

9
Role of the individual

• Socialisaton gives us skills to exert some
  control over who we are and how others see us.
• People who transform their identities are
  increasing in society.
• Erving Goffman- On stage and off stage
• Identities are things we consciously
  manipulate ,or present, in given situations.
  People are like actors who act on the stage and
  off the stage there is less deliberate
  presentation of self.

10
Heredity and Environment

• Heredity Vs
  Environment

11
Try to think how all Heredity and Environment
influence your identity!