Week 2 Forum: Socialization And Contemporary Social Issues

Week 2 Forum: Socialization and Contemporary Social Issues

Choose one of the following questions: 1. Do people adjust their behavior and presentation of the self to affect the opinion of others? Would you say that we have different “social selves” that we present in different settings? How does this relate to the concepts of front and back stage as well as the techniques of social actors discussed by Goffman? 2. Do you think the mass media significantly contributes to the socialization process? When answering this question, be sure to identify and describe the major agents of socialization in U.S. society today. Does the media have more influence over socialization than the other agents of social control? Why or why not? 3. Select a topic of contemporary relevance that is of interest to you (for example, poverty, juvenile delinquency, teen births, or racial neighborhood segregation). Briefly describe why you selected the topic. Using what you learned in this chapter, create a simple research question about the topic. Match your research question to an appropriate research method and describe how as a sociologist you would conduct the research to answer your proposed question. The Week 2 Forum meets the following course objectives: Apply a sociological perspective to the social world Analyze contemporary social issues using the sociological imagination and use sociological theories and concepts to analyze everyday life. Recognize and define social structure and social interaction. Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, and retrieve information related to the topics in the course. Describe the major research methods used in sociological research.

Paper For Above instruction

The concept of self-presentation and social behavior adjustment is fundamental to understanding human interaction. According to sociologist Erving Goffman, individuals perform roles in social contexts similarly to actors on a stage, employing "front" and "back" regions to manage impressions. The "front stage" is where individuals present a persona tailored to societal expectations, while the "back stage" is where they relax their performances and act more authentically. This dramaturgical perspective suggests that people do indeed modify their behavior and appearance depending on the setting and audience, aiming to influence how others perceive them (Goffman, 1959). In everyday life, multiple "social selves" are constructed and displayed, reflecting the diverse roles individuals occupy, such as professional, familial, or social friend. These different selves serve to facilitate social acceptance and achieve personal goals within various contexts.\n\nGoffman’s framework underscores the importance of impression management, which involves conscious or subconscious strategies individuals use to craft desirable impressions. For instance, in a professional setting, a person may emphasize competence and confidence, while in social gatherings, they may highlight friendliness and approachability. This adaptive behavior indicates that individuals are active social actors, adept at employing various techniques to navigate social expectations and maintain their desired identities (Goffman, 1959). The dichotomy between front and back regions highlights how social life involves constant negotiation and performance, with individuals striving to uphold socially approved images and moments of authenticity.\n\nThe significance of self-presentation aligns with symbolic interactionism, emphasizing that human identities are socially constructed through interaction. By adjusting behaviors in different settings, people construct multiple "selves" that fit specific social roles. These behaviors are influenced by norms, values, and expectations that vary across cultures and situations, making social selves fluid rather than fixed entities. This flexible self-presentation enables individuals to adapt to societal changes and maintain social harmony (Mead, 1934).\n\nIn conclusion, people do adjust their behavior and presentation of the self based on social context to influence others’ opinions, aligned with Goffman’s dramaturgical theory. The presence of multiple social selves and the techniques of impression management demonstrate that human identity is dynamic and situational. Understanding these processes is essential for analyzing human interactions and the social fabric of society.

References

• Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books.
• Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, Self, and Society. University of Chicago Press.
• Additionally, scholarly articles on impression management and social performance may be included here for further reading.