Social Processes
Interaction, socialization, and change
Social processes describe how people act together-how they learn culture, interact, and produce social change. Questions here reward precision about mechanisms: who learns what, from whom, and through which channel.
Concepts to master
- Socialization: the lifelong process of internalizing norms and roles. Primary socialization occurs in childhood within the family; secondary socialization occurs later in schools, workplaces, and peer groups.
- Agents of socialization: family, school, peers, media, religion. Questions often ask which agent is primary for a given outcome.
- Nature vs. nurture: biology sets limits; social experience shapes expression. Avoid either/or answers.
- Role concepts: role conflict (competing roles), role strain (demands within one role), role exit.
- Deviance and social control: deviance is behavior violating norms; labeling theory holds that labels applied by others shape subsequent behavior (primary vs. secondary deviance).
- Collective behavior and social movements: crowds, fads, panics; movements mobilize for or against change. Distinguish reform, revolutionary, and reactionary movements.
Traps to watch
- Confusing role conflict with role strain-conflict is between roles; strain is within one role.
- Assuming deviance equals crime-deviance is broader and context-dependent.
- Treating socialization as childhood-only-it is lifelong.
- Mixing up social movements with collective behavior-movements are organized and sustained.
Rule of thumb
For any "why does this person act this way?" item, identify the socialization channel or role involved before choosing.
Worked example
A nurse who is also a parent struggles to cover a night shift and a child's illness. This is role conflict (two roles competing), not role strain (tension inside the nursing role alone).