A level Sociology

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A Focus on Mass Media. I often hear a number of students complaining about the mass media, worry not it's one of the easier topic to grasp. I've developed some notes for you to study and read along. If you need explanations just inbox or WhatsApp +263782859042
In this chapter will look on several theoretical frameworks on the media. These theories
include Functionalism, Conflict theory, Symbolic interactionsm and Post modernism
theory.
Functionalist theory.
 According to Denis Mc Quail (2000) several important social functions of the
media may work to stabilize the social system.
 These functions include, providing information , correlation, continuity,
entertainment, mobilization, socialization, messenger and agent of social control.
1. From the functionalist view , the role of the media is to Entertain, the explicitly
purpose is to occupy our leisure time from comics and crossword puzzles in
newspapers, to the latest zimdancehall music release played on the radio or
internet. According to Giddens (2011) by so doing the media provides
amusement and a diversion from rigorous of work and acts to reduce social
tensions. Thereby allowing people to set aside their problems and conflicts at
least temporarily.
2. The Mass media plays an unquestionable significant role of Continuity by
providing Collective values for the members of the society.The media has a
certain function in expressing the dominant values culture, recognizing new
social developments and forging common values.
 the media this through bringing members of a community or a nation by showing
important events and ceremonies such as Independence, state funerals at the
heroes acre in Zim
 It also does so through creating strong nations by transmitting feelings of
Ubuntu, values and norms in messages.
3. Providing information- Giddens notes that the media provides us with a flow
of information about our society and the whole world, from webcams and radio
reports alerting us on breaking news stories such as election updates and death of
influential elites issues that might affect us personally.
4. Agent of Socialization- the mass media plays a role of agent of secondary
socialization process, critics blames the media for everything that goes wrong
especially the young people, however the media often re-affirm proper behaviourby showing the proper behaviour that is required through programmes such as
Another chance of
ZBC.
 - Furthermore ,It also shapes perceptions about social risks e.g Substance abuse,
indulging into premarital unprotected s*x the media warns about the dangers of
HIV & AIDS / COVID-19.
5. Mobilization- The media can be used to encourage people to contribute to
economic development, to support and uphold moral rules and to mobilize the
population in times of war. This can be through very direct public campaigns, but
also in much more subtle ways, such as the moral tales within soap operas or
films or the call for social action for instance calling for march on Anti- sanction
or calling for peaceful demonstrations.
6. Messenger- this is made possible through new technologies and electronic
communications such as smart phones, tabs and laptops. Messages are sent across
the globe through text and visual messages, placement of editorials on social
media helps to sent out information while at the same time the society is informed
of the happenings on the outside society. New media platforms such as Whats
app, Facebook messenger, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram can be used to deliver
message at a quick speed which acts as agents of transmission of important
messages.
Task 1= Evaluate the usefulness of the Functionalist theory in Media

Theories of Socialisation
Knowing that people are socialised does not explain how their socialised ( Andersen and Taylor, 2013). A theory is an set of interrelated ideas which explains a phenomenon, therefore there is need to place theories in a bid to understand the socialisation process.
A diverse range of theories which include Functionalism, Conflict theory Symbolic interaction theory and Social learning theory are used as sociological theories to explain the process of socialisation.
Social learning theory
social learning theory considers the formation of identity to be a learned response to external social stimuli (Bandura and Walters 1963). Social learning theory emphasizes the societal context of socialization. Identity is a result of modeling oneself (called role modeling) in response to the expectations of others for example the way one dress maybe as a result of copying it to your father or mother , in this case these would be the role models.
According to social learning theory, behaviors and attitudes develop in response to reinforcement. and encouragement from those around us. Reinforcement comes to us as positive reinforcement (reward) or negative reinforcement (punishment). Behavior that is positively reinforced is more likely to be repeated, whereas behavior that is negatively reinforced is not. A major tenant of social learning theory is the principle that positive reinforcement plus the presence of an admired role model makes the particular behavior highly likely.
Therefore according to this theory socialisation of individuals occurs through vicarious learning, through rewards and punishment children adopt what is needed or what is considered right, through punishment for instance a child beaten for insulting an elder will unlikely repeat the same mistake as he or she will face punishment and through such a process socialisation process occurs.
Functionalism
the functionalist theory explains socialization from its functional basis. The functionalist theory assumes that socialization integrates people into society because it is the mechanism through which they internalize social roles and the values of society.
This reinforces social consensus because it encourages at least some degree of conformity. Thus socialization is one way that society maintains its stability.
It is functional for individuals to learn the norms of the society so as to become competent members of the society who are skilled with values and norms for social order.
Conflict Theory
Conflict theorists conceptualize socialisation differently. The emphasis in conflict theory is on the role of power and coercion in society.
conflict theorists is interested in how group identity is shaped by inequality in society A person’s or group’s identity always emerges in a context, and if that context is one marked by different opportunities for different groups, then one’s identity will be shaped by that fact. For example a children who is socialized within the family is forced to accept the values and norms within the family, since the family is filled with inequalities the child's identity would be shaped by the inequality in the family. It should be noted that the relations in the family is not equal especially in the Zimbabwean context the family is considered to be hierarchical and patriarchal, therefore as a boy being socialized, his identity will reflect a more patriarchal view.
As a girl being socialized in the patriarchal context, she will be socialized differently from the boy and her identity will be shaped to understand and accept male dominance though not explicitly pinned out.
The conflict theory is of the view that the world is a capitalist society therefore children are socialized to meet the capitalist world, in other words individuals are taught language , latent values of punctuality and respect within the agents of family , religion or family this only serves the interest of the capitalist who will receive a dutiful, respectful workforce which is able to communicate through the skills acquired through socialization.
Symbolic Interaction Theory
Recall that symbolic interaction theory centers on the idea that human actions are based on the meanings.
Symbolic interaction has been especially important in developing an understanding of socialization. People learn identities and values through socialization. For example, learning to become a good student means taking on the characteristics associated with that role.Because roles are socially defined, they are not real, like objects or things, but are real because of the meanings people give them.
Because of the importance attributed to reflection in symbolic interaction theory, symbolic interaction use the term self, rather than the term personality, to refer to a person’s identity. Symbolic interaction theory emphasizes that human beings make conscious and meaningful adaptations to their social environment.
According to Mead socialisation occurs through a process which he examined on childhood socialization, which he saw as occurring in three stages: the imitation stage, the play stage, and the game stage (Mead 1934). In each phase of development, the child becomes more proficient at
taking the role of the other.
In the first stage, the imitation stage, children merely copy the behavior of those around them. Role taking in this phase is nonexistent because the child simply mimics the behavior of those in the surrounding environment without much understanding of the social meaning of the behavior. Although children in the imitation stage have little understanding of the behavior being copied, they are learning to become social beings. For example, young children who simply mimic the behavior of people around them (such as pretending to read a book, but doing so with the book upside down)
In the second stage, the play stage, children begin to take on the roles of significant people in their environment, not just imitating but incorporating their relationship to the other. Especially meaningful is when children take on the role of significant others, those with whom they have a close affiliation. A child pretending to be his mother may talk to himself as the mother would. The child begins to develop self-awareness, seeing himself or herself as others do.
In the third stage of socialization, the game stage, children become capable of taking on multiple roles at the same time. These roles are organized in a complex system that gives the children a more general or comprehensive view of the self. In this stage, children begin to comprehend the system of social relationships in which they are located. The children not only see themselves from the perspective of a significant other, but also understand how people are related to each other and how others are related to them. This is the phase where children internalize (incorporate into the self ) an abstract understanding of how society sees them.

Socialisation notes
SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION Compiled By Ian Mudiwa ( BSc Social Work) 0782859042: Sociology Tutor

A LEVEL SOCIOLOGY
Socialization

By the end of the chapter students are expected to:

To define Socialisation
To understand and describe agents of socialisation
To understand theories of socialisation
To describe the nature and nurture debate .

Socialisation can simply be defined as a learning process. It is a process that begins from birth lasting even to death , socialisation enables a human individual to be skilled with norms and values of the society so as to be functional being.
According to Andersen and Taylor (2013) Socialisation is the process through which people learn the expectations of society. Being a fully socialized member of the society means to have internalized the expected norms of that society. The lessons that are internalized can have powerful influence on behavior and attitudes.
Through socialisation it can be noted that , individuals absorb their culture , customs, habits , morals and laws. The socialisation process differs on individuals depending on factors such as age, race, gender, and class, as well as more subtle aspects of personality. It should be noted that, women and men encounter different socialization patterns as they grow up because each gender brings with it different social expectations.
Agents of Socialisation
These are sources which are responsible in the socialisation process of individuals in the society, this include the family, religion, school, mass media and peers.Andersen and Taylor (2013) are of the view that Socialization agents are people, or sources, or structures who pass on social expectations. Everyone is a socializing agent because social expectations are communicated in countless ways and in every interaction people have, whether or not intentionally. According to Giddens () agents of socialisation are groups or social contexts in which significant processes of socialization occur. In simple agents of socialisation are entities which facilitate socialisation to happen , for instance the family and religion can be responsible for transmitting values of ubuntu into an individual , language is also taught within the family for the child to be functional in the society.
The Family- the family is the first source of socialization, it is regarded as the primary source of socialisation to individuals within a society . Through families, children are introduced to the expectations of society. Children learn to see themselves through their parents’ eyes. How parents define and treat a child is crucial to the development of the child’s sense of self.What children learn in families is certainly not uniform. Even though families pass on the expectations of a given culture, families within that culture may be highly diverse.
It is assumed that ,Children soak up all the information from their parents like sponges through process such as canalisation and manipulation.According to Ann Oakley Canalization – where parents push their children into either male or female roles. E.g. girls playing with kitchens . Manipulation can also be another process- this is when parents will encourage a certain behaviour seen as normal in a girl or boy and discourage any behaviour associated with the opposite s*x. E.g. telling a boy not to cry ‘like a girl’. This therefore means that the family is responsible for gender socialisation - socialisation which is oriented in creating feminity or masculinity for example boys are given toys , football to play with , whilst girls are given dolls , small sets of plastic cups and tea pots , this therefore make them grow in the expected roles of society. As this is not enough the family as the epicentre of socialisation is responsible for teaching language, the ability to communicate is taught through the family, and language is an important instrument for communication.
The Media
The mass media is an important agent of socialization. Television alone has a enormous impact on what we are socialized to believe and become. Add to that films, music, video games, radio, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media outlets, and you begin to see the enormous influence
the media have on the values we form, our images of society, our desires for ourselves, and our relationships with others. These images are powerful throughout our lifetimes, but many worry that their effect during childhood may be particularly deleterious.
Through lyrical content on trending Zimdancehall and hip-hop music children as well as adults can be socialised to understand slang language, which can mold behavior.
Dressing code can also be learned through watching favourite celebrities such as Mai Chisamba, Winky D or Jay C.
There has been a core-relation between violence in the media and the violence in real life as children tend to adopt some violent scenes from movies, The high degree of violence in the media resulted in a rating system for televised programming.
According to Wilson et al (2002) cited in Andersen and Taylor (2013 ) analysts estimate by age 18, the average child will have witnessed at least 18,000 simulated murders on television. This therefore might be advanced to argue that aggressive behavior can also be learned through the media, as such the media remains one of the influential agent of socialisation.
Many also think that violent video games (another form of media)
may contribute to school shootings, where an armed individual—often a student at a particular school—randomly shoots and wounds or kills one or more individuals, usually other students but also teachers (Newman et al. 2006).
Religion
Religion is another powerful agent of socialization, and religious instruction contributes greatly to the identities children construct for themselves. Children tend to develop the same religious beliefs as their parents.Religious socialization influences a large number of beliefs that guide even adults in how they organize their lives, including beliefs about morality, adultery and behavior, the roles of men and women, and s*xuality,to name a few. In children the values of respect can be reinforced through the biblical narratives of respecting your mother and father , value of life is also reinforced through the 10 commandments “ thou shall not kill”.Religion therefore instills values and norms which makes individuals of the society more humane and to coexist peacefully within the society

Religious socialization also influences beliefs about s*xuality, including the likelihood of tolerance for gay and le***an s*xuality (Whitehead and Baker 2012).
Dressing code can also be influenced by religion for instance in Islam, for women covering their hair is actually taught from young girl . The strict avoidance on pork in the White garment Apostolics can be transimitted to young members until they internalize the norms which becomes part of their lives.
School - it is another agent of socialisation, it is regarded as the secondary source of socialisation, at school hidden curriculum values such as punctuality , neatness , silence and uniformity are taught , children are taught to respect authority at school and sometimes not to question authority. All being said the school as an agent of socialisation is largely instills values of disciplines ,from a functionalist point of view this is functional to establish order , it also serves as a microcosm of the macrocosm of a workplace.Giddens () is of the view that schooling is a formal process, students pursue a definite curriculum, however schools socialize individuals in a more subtle respects such as:
Children are expected to be quite in class
To observe rules of school discipline
At school students are taught about their history, culture, norms and values for instance the Chimurenga war through heritage studies

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES

Question 1
Assess the clam that Marxist theory no longer has any relevance for understanding modern societies. [25]

General Comment
A good answer to this question will demonstrate sound knowledge and understanding of Marxist theory. It
will also give reasons why Marxist theory may no longer have any relevance for understanding modern
societies. The knowledge base of the answer will be combined with a sustained assessment of whether,
and in what ways, the claim in the question is valid.
Individual Candidate Response
Candidate A
Marxist theory believe in inequality of people through capitalization. This theory argues that society is
divided into two separate classes consisting of the Bourgoeisie and the Proletariat. The Bourgoeisie are
the owners of the mean of production and are considered the ruling class, where as. The Proletariat are
the workers or labourers and are considered the subject class. Where as Marxist claims were of a greater
relevance to traditional society the theory no longer hold that much truth when understanding modern
societies.
Marx is leading Marxist theorists argued that society was not fair to its members or more so a certain
class in society. He believed that people were exploited by the ruling class for their labour and in order to
run their businesses. Since they were the sole owners of the means of production the subject class was
dependent upon them in order to earn an income. However, they were also dependent on the subject
class only they still took advantage and paid lower wages than was expected in order to keep the working
class in place and not have them rise to become better off.
The first contradiction of Marx argument was incorrect when he claimed that there was two class. In
modern society with changing times it can be seen that there exist more than two class. There no longer
exist only the ruling class and subject class but there is a middle class. With Marx prediction of
polarization never occuring he was also proved wrong there. Polarization is the movement of class away
from the middle class, shifting the extreme top or bottom as the case may be. This simply means that
those who were rich become richer and the poor become poorer. However this never occur.
Although Marxist theory is not completely eliminated from society, society is not what it wants appeared to
have been by Marx. The functionalist theory can also be applied to modern society but like Marxist not in
great doses. The modern society can at time be peace and order with the smooth running of affairs,
however at other times this tranquility can be upsetted with violence and war and inequality.
Neomarxist, which are the new thoughts in the Marxist theory argues that in modern society apart from
the two class previously mentioned, there exist a third. This class is known as the petite Bourgoeisie.
They are, according to Neomarxist, considered to own small business and exist independently from the
Bourgoeisie.
Marx once mentioned that only within a communist society there would be peace and equality. He claims
were that once all the means of production was owned by the Government, people would be treated fairly
and be awarded equally. This claim too has been critised greatly since modern society in seen to be
functioning with democratic rulers and people and society seem to be satisfied.

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