QUIRINO STATE UNIVERSITY

DIFFUN CAMPUS
Diffun, 3401 Quirino

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

LESSON 5

Socialization and Personality

Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:
1. Define socialization and personality
2. Discuss the self and socialization

INTRODUCTION
Social development is seemingly built upon a paradox. At the same time we are becoming
social beings, we are also becoming individuals with distinct personalities. The reason why
this dual process may appear paradoxical is because of the specialization that has taken
place in the social sciences. Sociologists, over the years, have focused their attention on the
socialization process through which a culture's rules of conduct are learned.

Psychologists have, instead, focused on personality development, which is more

concerned with the emergence of individual differences in behavior that make each person
recognizably unique. Only of late has there been any real movement to join the two sciences
in the realization that one aspect of the process cannot take place without the other, and
that individual differences which constitute our distinctive personalities, in part, involve
variations in the extent to which we conform to social norms.

A definition of socialization that reflects this new view of social development is offered
by Klaus Hurrelmann (1988): "Socialization... is the process of the emergence, formation,
and development of the human personality in dependence on and in interaction with the
human organism, on one hand, and the social and ecological living conditions that exist at a
given time within the historical development of a society on the other". Those who use this
definition of socialization accept the basic assumption that socially conveyed influences on
personality development actually exist. This essay will explore how some personality traits
are acquired by a person through the imparting of basic norms, values, and standards of
behavior in a given
society

SOCIALIZATION
Newborn homo sapiens are biological organisms with the predisposition to develop into social
persons or what we call "human". Infants become human as they acquire the abilities to
appreciate and use the symbols and embellishments brought into being by preceding
generations.

Becoming human includes learning to interact with others in appropriate ways:

forming affectionate ties; participating as a member of various organizations, sharing loyalty
with many unknown others who are fellow citizens, and internalizing the norms, values,
roles, and patterns of behavior of the society to which one is born. Becoming human also
includes development of the "self or a personality. Personality may be defined as "the set of
relatively stable and distinctive styles of thought, behavior and emotional responses that
characterizes a person's adaptations to surrounding circumstances". The process by
which one acquires these qualities, thus becoming human, is known as socialization.

Society intrudes itself into the socialization process in numerous ways Society establishes
the standards that socialized individuals are expected to achieve in physical development, in
skills and capacities in emotional expression, in intellective purposeful activities, and in the
patterning of their relations with significant others. In their effort to socialize children,
parents are guided by their awareness of such social expectations and by their image of what
children must become if they are to live successfully in the world.

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Gender and Society/AMELIA B. BUMMAR-PASCUA/lesson 5
 QUIRINO STATE UNIVERSITY
DIFFUN CAMPUS
Diffun, 3401 Quirino

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Parents are also guided by their image of what makes "good parents and most invest a
great deal of time and effort living up to this standard. In modern societies where cultural
traits have grown too numerous and complex for the family alone to transmit institutions
have been created. The primary institutions in our society include the family, the church, the
educational system, the government, and the economic system, and each has been charged
with the responsibility of transmitting a set of specific societal norms and values. Any
violation of these intended norms or values is generally met with powerful sanctions. The
mere allocation of sanctions constitutes a declaration of society's intent and sets a standard
that will attract individuals regardless of whether they themselves receive the punishments
or rewards of a given institution.

AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
Socialization is often divided into two broad stages, primary-childhood socialization
and secondary-adult socialization. Considered the most important stage, primary
socialization shapes the identities, outlooks, and resources upon which secondary
socialization is built. Primary socialization is under the control of significant others.
Significant others are those (parents, grandparents, siblings) who positively or negatively
affect the life personality, and orientation of children by exposing them to certain experiences,
values, and roles, as well as restricting them from undesirable influences. Additional agents,
or forces, of primary socialization include the public school system, peer group associations,
and television.

PERSONALITY
What is personality?
• it is a combination of the individual’s physical attribute, of every action or mode of thinking
and feeling which are expressions of his personality • personality is a product of socialization
and arises as a result of the interplay of various factors which include: biological inheritance,
geographic, social and cultural environments. These are called determinants of personality.
Determinants of personality:
1. Biological inheritance the characteristics are transferred from parents to children
through the mechanism of the genes found in the chromosomes of the sex cells.

2. Geographic environment it refers to location, climate, topography and natural

resources that are determinants of personality. The question whether people in the
tropical regions and the temperate zones differ in personality because of climate.

3. Social environment refers to the various groups and social interactions going on in the
groups of which one is a member.

4. Cultural environment although intertwine with the social environment, it is explained

separately. It refers to the learned ways of living; the norms of behaviors like folkways,
mores, laws, values, and patterned ways of the group. Cultural norms are present once
the child is born.
Other views on personality formation:
• Cultural determinism- that cultural environment is the main factor that determines human
behavior. Proponents of this theory are: Franz Boas, Margaret Mead and Ruth Benedict.
Franz Boaz views personality development as a result of learning what is found in culture
and that significant differences in personality are learned.

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Gender and Society/AMELIA B. BUMMAR-PASCUA/lesson 5
 QUIRINO STATE UNIVERSITY
DIFFUN CAMPUS
Diffun, 3401 Quirino

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

• Symbolic interactionism – the view is based primarily on George H. Mead and C. Horton
Cooley’s theory which expounds that personality is the result of the interaction between
individuals and mediated by symbols particularly, language. Language is the crucial in the
development of the “social self”.
• Different concepts of the self - the looking glass self. The ability of children to visualize
themselves through the eyes of others (johari window) family, friends, classmates and peer
groups exert a great influence
• The generalized others - children are able to respond to a number of individuals in the
group and integrate the various rules or set of norms of the group around the age of 8 or 9
children engage in games where they are able to take the attitudes and responses of others
in social activity
Freud’s theory of socialization
Seigmund Freud- the father of modern sociology, came up with his own concept on how the
self is developed based on his psychological theory on socialization. This theory holds that
personality consisted of three major systems that operate separately or in combination with
one another:
1. the id (pleasure principle) it is the biological component and the source of a number of
drives centering around the child satisfaction of the basic needs like food and sex and
operates on the pleasure principle.
2. the ego (rational mind) it is the mediator between the needs of the individual and the
world of reality and strives to delay tension until adult the suitable environment exists.
The cognitive and intellectual processes are controlled by the ego. It mediates between
the id and the super ego (the rational realm).
3. super ego (moral arm/the conscience) it is the moral arm of personality representing
traditional rules (cultural norms), values and parent ideals of society. It is continually
in conflict with the ego. The first five (5) years of the child’s development plays a decisive
role in personal development as it is where the basic personality structure is formed.
= the id – is the child’s personality – already mature but most often behaves like a child
= the ego – the adult personality – more reality grounded
= the super-ego – parent personality – always judging and criticizing

The five (5) different stages in personality development according to Freud

1. Oral stage (o-1 y.o.) Eating is the major source of satisfaction. Frustration or
overindulgence can lead to overeating or alcoholism in adulthood.

2. Anal stage (1-3 y.0.) The influencing factor is toilet training. The result of fixation at
this stage are personalities that are grasping and stingy.

3. Phallic stage (3-6 y.0.) The greatest source of pleasure comes from the sex organ. This
is the time that the child desires parents of the opposite sex. Fixation at this stage can
result into the following:
• oedipus complex – when the son sexually fixated on the mother
• elektra complex – when the daughter desires the father

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Gender and Society/AMELIA B. BUMMAR-PASCUA/lesson 5
 QUIRINO STATE UNIVERSITY
DIFFUN CAMPUS
Diffun, 3401 Quirino

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

4. Latency period (6-adolescence) children turn their attention to people outside of their
families like to teachers, friends, and the erotic impulses are dormant.

5. Genital stage (adolescence and beyond) the sexual impulses become active again and
the individual focuses on the opposite sex to look around for possible long term
relationship or marriage.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
MIRROR OF MYSELF

Take a look at yourself. Assess your true behavior and character. Do the following:
1. How do you see yourself as a person? What are your personality? Explain.
2. Interview your family or friends and ask them how they see you as a person.
3. What are the factors that influenced you’re the most in shaping who you are today?
Why?

NOTE: CONVERT YOUR ANSWER SHEET TO PDF BEFORE UPLAODING TO THE LMS.

References:
https://www.slideshare.net/markallanestabillopia/personality-soccomplete
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234645134_The_Impact_of_Socialization_on_Pers
onality_Formation_and_Gender_Role_Development

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Gender and Society/AMELIA B. BUMMAR-PASCUA/lesson 5