1. How would a functionalist, conflict theorist or symbolic interactionist (CHOOSE ONE) describe this community? Your answer should show that you understand the theory and that you can apply it appropriately. Your answer should be at least half a page.
“Home Town” is the narration of Tommy O`Connor’s life in Northampton. Tommy’s life is the reflection of Mead’s definition of symbolic interactionism, that is that the society of Northampton is a social construction created by the people in this community that changes through time due to the new social agents that become part of it. Symbolic interactionism is based on the idea that depending on the interactions that individuals have with one another, their perception and roles within this …show more content…
Role: It is the pattern of behavior expected from an individual that occupies a social position. This allows the individual to have a place in society and how to act in it. Examples of this can be seen in the Zimbardo prison experiment. There were different roles given to the participants of the experiment. The participants assumed the role they had been given by acting similarly to what they knew about these characters. This was based on their personal preconceptions of individuals that represented these roles in a real life setting. For instance, the officers acted violent and disrespectful towards the prisoners. At the same time the prisoners became submissive. After the experiment had finished, one of the prisoners commented about how he got so involved in his roles that he thought his real identity was the number he had been given while in the prison, and not his real …show more content…
• Education plays a big part of our socialization process. Through the hidden curriculum, education gives us the tools we need to operate in society following the values and norms established in it.
• Through religion many individuals interact with others based on what their core values are. It is said that belonging to a religious group increases the number of friendships and opportunities to engage in civic activities.
• Media is the medium that distributes information. Until recently television was the most important media socializing agent. Television shows allowed Americans to be exposed to other Americans, genders, races, and ages, among others. Thus, the perception about these groups was influenced by what we saw on TV. Internet is becoming an important socializing media agent, sharing some of the television power of distributing
“Home Town” is the narration of Tommy O`Connor’s life in Northampton. Tommy’s life is the reflection of Mead’s definition of symbolic interactionism, that is that the society of Northampton is a social construction created by the people in this community that changes through time due to the new social agents that become part of it. Symbolic interactionism is based on the idea that depending on the interactions that individuals have with one another, their perception and roles within this …show more content…
Role: It is the pattern of behavior expected from an individual that occupies a social position. This allows the individual to have a place in society and how to act in it. Examples of this can be seen in the Zimbardo prison experiment. There were different roles given to the participants of the experiment. The participants assumed the role they had been given by acting similarly to what they knew about these characters. This was based on their personal preconceptions of individuals that represented these roles in a real life setting. For instance, the officers acted violent and disrespectful towards the prisoners. At the same time the prisoners became submissive. After the experiment had finished, one of the prisoners commented about how he got so involved in his roles that he thought his real identity was the number he had been given while in the prison, and not his real …show more content…
• Education plays a big part of our socialization process. Through the hidden curriculum, education gives us the tools we need to operate in society following the values and norms established in it.
• Through religion many individuals interact with others based on what their core values are. It is said that belonging to a religious group increases the number of friendships and opportunities to engage in civic activities.
• Media is the medium that distributes information. Until recently television was the most important media socializing agent. Television shows allowed Americans to be exposed to other Americans, genders, races, and ages, among others. Thus, the perception about these groups was influenced by what we saw on TV. Internet is becoming an important socializing media agent, sharing some of the television power of distributing