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Topic 2 of 7 · Form 3

Culture, identity and socialisation

Norms, values, roles, status (ascribed and achieved), beliefs and customs; cultural diversity, subcultures, multiculturalism and globalisation of culture.

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Culture

Norms, values, roles, status (ascribed and achieved), beliefs and customs; cultural diversity, subcultures, multiculturalism and globalisation of culture.

Socialisation

  • Primary socialisation (family): learning basic norms and language.
  • Secondary socialisation: schools, peer groups, religion, workplace and the media.
  • Feral children show the importance of socialisation.

Social control

Formal (police, courts, laws) and informal (family, peers, community, religion) controls; positive and negative sanctions.

Identity

Gender, ethnicity, age, social class, nationality and religion; how identities are formed and how they change; nature versus nurture debates.

Gender socialisation

Canalisation, manipulation, verbal appellations and role models shaping gender roles.

Worked example: Give an example of an informal negative sanction.

A parent's disapproving look or a peer's teasing when someone breaks a norm.

Exam tip: Use examples from your own society to illustrate concepts – it shows understanding.

Check yourself

  1. Distinguish between norms and values.
  2. What is an achieved status?
  3. Name two agencies of secondary socialisation.
Show answers
  1. Values are general ideas about what is important; norms are specific rules of behaviour based on values.
  2. A position earned through effort or merit (e.g. doctor).
  3. Any two: school, peer group, religion, workplace, media.
Next topicSocial inequality

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