Module 3 Essays
3.1: Primary and Secondary Socialization Forces
As we noted in the second module, another primary, powerful, and unavoidable way that we come to see ourselves, others, and the social world is through socialization forces. These forces have significant influence in our lives; although, at times, we are not even aware of the influence or the results! The video provides an overview of this important component of human existence.
Watch: “Primary and Secondary Socialization Forces”
Read and watch all of the above materials prior to looking at the essay questions.
3.2: Family
Watch: TED Talk: Jennifer Senior “For Parents, Happiness Is a Very High Bar”
link for the above video “3.2”: https://www.ted.com/talks/jennifer_senior_for_parents_happiness_is_a_very_high_bar
Sociological Perspectives on the Family
Today, sociologists generally categorize families into the categories: functional, conflict, and social interactionist.
Table 15.1 Theory Snapshot
| Theoretical perspective | Major assumptions |
| Functionalism | The family performs several essential functions for society. It socializes children, it provides emotional and practical support for its members, it helps regulate sexual activity and sexual reproduction, and it provides its members with a social identity. In addition, sudden or far-reaching changes in the family’s structure or processes threaten its stability and weaken society. |
| Conflict | The family contributes to social inequality by reinforcing economic inequality and by reinforcing patriarchy. The family can also be a source of conflict, including physical violence and emotional cruelty, for its own members. |
| Symbolic interactionism | The interaction of family members and intimate couples involves shared understandings of their situations. Wives and husbands have different styles of communication, and social class affects the expectations that spouses have of their marriages and of each other. Romantic love is the common basis for American marriages and dating relationships, but it is much less common in several other contemporary nations. |
Source/link for Sociological Perspectives on the Family: https://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/15-2-sociological-perspectives-on-the-family/
3.3: Marriage
Understanding how large institutions create social reality is key to understanding social structure and how it shapes and creates social life. Marriage is a controversial topic. You will have the chance to share your opinion about marriage later, but right now, consider the many different social structures that have shaped and defined marriage over the years, including religion and the modern social justice movement. Remember, when you think critically about a topic, you acknowledge your gut reaction, but you move past it to consider and critique all of the variables, even though you may not agree with them.
Read: “Exposing the Traditional Marriage Agenda” by Jessica Feinberg
Click here (Links to an external site.) to read “Exposing the Traditional Marriage Agenda” by Jessica Feinberg.
Please, Plagiarism is totally prohibited due to sophisticate plagiarism checker applied
Write an essay answering the following prompts:
- Define primary verses secondary sources. Provide three examples of each type and explain how they contribute to identity development. (10 pts)
- Explain how you see more clearly when you understand socialization forces. (10 pts)
- How does American society define family, parenting, childhood, and happiness?
(10 pts) - Identify another culture, other than American culture, that would define family and parenting differently. (10 pts)
- What does Feinberg mean when she says, “traditional marriage consists of much more than opposite-sex spouses”? What sociological issues does she reference?
(10 pts) - How would you define marriage? Why is your definition of the institution of marriage correct over someone else’s definition?(10 pts)
- In your own words, describe the different theoretical perspectives above and comment on how you view the social institution of family today.(10 pts)