Sociology 3310: Social Psychology
Read the following hypothetical personals Web site advertisement (“Desperately Seeking Susan”). As you read, identify important concepts from this lesson, such as those related to: socialization, types of socialization, agents of socialization, self, identity, etc. Identify at least 8 concepts from the lesson that are illustrated in this advertisement. Define those concepts in your own words and include a quotation from part of the advertisement that suggests each concept. Identify at least three of the person’s social identities.Concepts:• agent of socialization• anticipatory socialization• extrinsically motivated• generalized other• internalization• intrinsically motivated• observational learning/modeling• positive feedback from others• rites of passage• role acquisition• role taking• self-differentiation• self-efficacy• self-esteem• self-serving bias• significant others• social comparisonNote: You are only required to identify, define, explain, and find an excerpt/quote for 8 of the concepts aboveSample Personals Ad: “Desperately Seeking Susan”:Age: 25Location: Columbia, MissouriActive During the Last 3 DaysAbout Me:First Name: ShawnGender: Man seeking a WomanMarital Status: Single, never marriedBody Type: SlenderHeight: 6’0″Eyes: BrownHair: Dark BrownEthnicity: Caucasian (white)Sense of Humor: Friendly, Dry/SarcasticSocial Setting: Sidekick, Better in small groupsTV Watching: Documentaries, MTVSmoking: Doesn’t smokeDrinking: Doesn’t drinkLiving Situation: Alone, With parentsHave Kids: NoWant (more) kids: I’ll tell you laterEducation: Some CollegeEmployment Status: Part-timeOccupation: I’ll tell you laterIncome: Less than $24,999Religion: Christian/CatholicAttend Services: Only on holidaysPolitical Views: I’ll tell you laterAstrology: AriesLanguages: EnglishInterests: Movies, Listening to Music, Reading, Watching Sports, Computers/Internet, Fitness/Health“In My Own Words”“Initiating conversation is my weak point. I have become more and more shy and quiet; therefore, I’m not the life of the party. Lately, I have not had a social life. I am seeking someone I can feel comfortable around and who will break me out of my shell. I think I’m pretty good looking. Lots of people have told me I am, and who am I to argue with that? When I look at other guys at work and school, I think I’m definitely in the top third on the “looks” scale. My good looks have made it fairly easy to get dates with women. But it just hasn’t worked out with any of them yet. So far they have all had issues or don’t seem to know how to have a relationship.”Movies: not blockbusters, I like foreign, independent, sci-fi movies that make you thinkMusic: Foo Fighters, Pink Floyd, New Found Glory-like bands (not MTV hits or top 40)Books: Oryx and Crake, Dune, Brave New World, as well as Discovery and Scientific American magazinesGuilty Pleasures: Grey’s Anatomy, 1st-Person-Shooters online, Keira KnightleyBiggest Regrets: not playing HS soccer, being 25 without graduating collegeLife Experiences: HS grad in 2000. I have lived in a dorm and on my own and with roommates. Never went to HS prom. No drugs or alcohol in a few years. I’ve worked at grocery store full/part-time for last four years. Also, I have a cat who acts like a dog.Life Plan (not set in stone): I am finally going to get my two-year-degree in December and right now my goal is to become an RN or higher working in the medical field. I’ve always enjoyed working with people and helping them. I’m good at it. I don’t even mind the occasional blood and gore. I know if I were a patient I’d appreciate having nurses and doctors who like their work. I have to admit the relatively good pay compared with lots of other jobs helps, too. I guess my mother influenced me here because she is a nurse and I have always looked up to her. I saw how much she enjoyed the work and thought I should try it, too.I am currently not the kind of guy who goes to clubs and bars. We all know it’s not good to sleep around too much and I’m not that kind of guy. I am now hoping that I can connect with someone who can show me some of the things I feel I have missed out on.Writing/Rhetorical Goals:A good essay for this assignment will probably require roughly 1-2 pages. Do not just list the questions and respond to them in a list. Your essay should look like an essay with a broad introduction that sets the context and a broad conclusion that pulls the various elements together and provides a summary or closure. It should be organized into paragraphs with related content together in the same paragraph and with transitions and paragraph headings that help convey your narrative or your argument.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify 8 concepts that were illustrated in the personal advertisement. Be sure to define each of these 8 concepts and quote or paraphrase which part of the personal advertisement illustrates each concept. (45 points)
2. Identify 3 of Shawn’s social identities.
