IM for Teaching Unit IV, Socialization,
in Introduction to Sociology
Prepared by Caroline H. Persell August 2008
The social construction of the self can be illustrated well with the film, Nova: Secret of the Wild Child. There is a Lesson Plan for using the film and an in-class exercise that helps to explore conceptions of the self is “The Twenty Statements Test.” There is an Instructors' Manual for using a free textbook chapter available on “Socialization” that explores the contexts of socialization, the content and processes of socialization, the possible results of socialization, and socialization through the life course.
There is a Gender Socialization Lab/Fieldtrip exercise and a Lesson Plan for it. To help students understand the power of social norms in shaping their conduct, they could do the simulation, “Breaking a Social Norm,” which has a Lesson Plan. To see how advertisers try to manage and manipulate the formation of social norms, students could view the film, “Merchants of Cool,” on-line. There is a Lesson Plan for using the film. Students could take Robert E. Wood’s Virtual Tour C, “Social Interaction and Socialization”.