CHAPTER 3: SOCIALIZATION

Objectives:Discuss ongoing debate over what most

determines human behavior: “nature” (heredity) or “nurture” (social environment)

Discuss how studies of feral, isolated, and institutionalized children prove that social contact and interaction is essential for healthy human development

Explain statement, “It is society that makes people human”

NATURE VS. NURTURE

Nature: Genetics; in born

Nurture: Social environment (the entire human environment, including direct contact with others)

YOUR OPINION…

Which do you think has the most impact on a person, Nature or Nurture?

Take 2 minutes…Read Heredity or Environment excerpt

(pg. 64) individually, then discuss as a group

FERAL CHILDREN

Feral children—assumed to have been raised by animals, in the wilderness, isolated from other human beings many cannot speak and take on animal-like traits (ie: walking on all fours, lapping water, eating grass/raw meat, no reaction to cold or pain); difficult to developtake on characteristics of their environmentWild Boy from Aveyron

ISOLATED/INSTITUTIONALIZED CHILDRENIsolated children—raised in an environment shut

off from communication (see story of Isabelle at beginning of chapter)

Unlike most feral children, can progress through stages of development

Language is the key to human development. --without it, there can be no culture

Institutionalized children—raised in an environment with little to no human interaction

studies by Skeels & DyeBesides language, close relations with other

humans is important in developing intelligence

“SOCIETY MAKES US HUMAN”

babies do not develop “naturally” into human adults

They may grow, but are little more than big animals if kept in isolation

Without language can’t experience or even grasp relations between people

through human contact people learn to be members of the human community

Socialization—the process by which people learn the characteristics of their group—the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and actions thought appropriate for them

ARTICLES…

2 articles dealing with aspects of Socialization

sent to school emailread thembe prepared to discuss them in class on

Monday.