Children and Society : The Sociology of Children and Childhood Socialization

Preface x Acknowledgments xiii About the Authors xiv PART I INTRODUCTION Understanding Childhood Socialization Introduction 2 Complexities of Childhood Socialization 4 Limitations of the Study of Socialization 8 Organization of the Book 9 References 10 Chapter 1: Studying Children 11 Competing Images of Children and Childhood 11 The Natural Development of Children 12 The Social Inculcation of Children 15 The Social Construction of Children 17 Appreciating the Complexities of Childrens' Lives 18 Methods of Studying Children 23 References 32 Chapter 2: Foundations of Socialization 35 Isolated Children 36 The Human Organism 40 An Ongoing Society 46 References 54 Chapter 3: Cultural and Historical Constructions of Childhood 57 Socialization in Cross-Cultural Perspective 57 Children in Non-Western Societies 59 The History of Western Childhood 65 Continuing Cultural Contrasts: Japan and the United States 76 References 79 Chapter 4: Basic Processes and Outcomes of Socialization 83 Society and Socialization 84 Emotionally Significant Relationships 88 Communication 90 Symbols, Language, and Interaction 92 Language and Memory 94 Conversation 95 Language Mastery 95 The Significance of Significant Others 96 Development of the Self 97 Play Stage and Game Stage 99 Time and Outcomes of Socialization 102 More About the Self 103 Self-Concept, Identity, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy 104 Sentiments and Emotions 108 Values and the Self 110 Incipient Adult Roles 111 Truncated Childhood, Premature Adulthood 116 A Stock of Social Knowledge 117 References 118 PART II Agencies of Socialization Introduction 124 References 129 Chapter 5: Families 131 Some Cross-Cultural Comparisons 132 Families in the Community 134 Families as Groups of Interacting Persons 136 Family Composition and Interaction 139 Two-Parent First-Marriage Families 140 Stepfamilies 147 Single Mothers 148 Teenage Mothers 150 Siblings 152 Grandparents in the Twenty-First Century 153 References 154 Chapter 6: Schools 159 Preschools and Daycare Centers 160 Head Start 162 Daycare Centers 163 School and Society 165 The Classroom as an Organization 170 Authority 170 Class Size 171 Evaluation 172 Moral Climate 173 Family-School Interaction 175 References 181 Chapter 7: Peer Groups 183 Peer Culture 185 Play 186 Sports 189 Peer Group Structures and Processes 193 Play Groups 193 Friendships 197 Cliques 199 Bullying 200 References 201 Chapter 8: Media of Mass Communication 205 The Major Issues 208 Viewing as an Activity 208 Violent Program Content and Children's Aggression 212 The Power of Advertising 215 Gender and Racial Stereotyping 220 Research Methods in Television Studies 222 Experiments 223 Surveys 224 Content Analysis 224 Audience Interpretive Response 224 Theories of the Relationship Between Children and Television 225 Uses and Gratifications 227 Cultivation Theory 227 Semiotics 228 Computers, the Internet, and Video Games 229 Access to Computers 230 Implications for Socialization 231 Video Games 232 Computers, Parental Authority, and Children's Autonomy 235 References 236 PART III Diversities of Socialization Introduction 240 References 245 Chapter 9: Social Class 247 Upper Class 248 Upper-Middle Class 250 Middle Class 253 Working Class 255 Working Poor 258 The Underclass 258 Social Class and Individualism 260 References 263 Chapter 10: Ethnic Groups, Minorities, and Neighborhood Communities 265 African American Socialization 267 White European Ethnic Groups 271 Hispanic, Caribbean, and Asian Immigrants 274 Neighborhood Communities 280 References 284 Chapter 11: Sex, Gender, and Socialization 287 Sex Category and Social Organization 288 Sex and the Social Division of Labor 288 Sex and Gender Hierarchies 290 The Biology of Sex 293 The Development of Sex-Related Characteristics 293 Nature and Nurture 294 Socialization Processes and Agents 297 Family Interaction 298 The Media 301 Preschools and Schools 303 Peer Relations and Cultures 305 The Complexities of Gender Socialization 309 References 311 PART IV Continuities With and Discontinuities From Childhood Introduction 316 Chapter 12: Looking Back and Looking Ahead 317 Socialization in Adolescence 317 Continuities 322 Socialization in Adult Life 324 Continuities 326 Socialization in Aging and Death 327 Continuities 329 References 330 Author Index 335 Subject Index 343