Mass media-newspapers, magazines, comic books, radio, video games, movies, and especially television-present a form of socialization in which there is no opportunity for interaction.
Social media such as Twitter and Facebook, on the other hand, enable people to create, share, and exchanges information and interest.
There has been much research on the effects of mass media on the socialization of individuals, however, research about the impacts of social media in human socialization is still at the beginning.
Socialization can be divided into three major phases - primary, secondary and adult. Secondary socialization occurs in the late childhood and adolescence.
Around this period, children in this group are entering school and coming into contact with, and being influenced by, adults and peers outside the home environment. During this period, becoming socialized is one of the major developmental tasks.
But if the majority of our population is attached to social media and heavily influenced by it, how can socialization begin or, for that matter, continue?
Content Instructions
In this Socialization and Social Media Research Project, you are asked to conduct a research study regarding the usage of social media among people around you. To complete this project, you will need to follow 5 steps:
Use "Socialization and Social Media Survey Matrix" to interview yourself and four other people about their usage and attitude toward social media.
Please be sure to select people from different age groups to enrich your data. You may prefer to print out the Matrix to take notes of the interview. However, for submission, please type the collected information into each box of the Matrix.
Compare the similarity and differences in social media usage across age groups
After you conduct a comparison, use the data from the matrix to answer questions in "Socialization and Social Media Analysis". This will help you organize the data for analysis and writing
Write a 500 word paper about your findings. The paper should include:
A summary
An introduction
A brief description of the context
A description of the participants and data collection method
A description or presentation of the findings
An analysis of the findings (How much of an impact does social media have on the socialization of people that completed the survey? How did the impact differ among the various age groups? Why do you think that this is the case? Explain. Explain how social media affected the people's social interaction. Using information from your text and the readings, explain why social interaction is so important to humans.)
A conclusion
References
Please name the paper Lastname_Media_Project.doc(x)Submit 1) the Media Project Paper (which includes the questions and the summary) and 2) the Matrix that contains typed information from the survey. You will be graded on the entire Media Project. The typed matrix is the proof to the instructor that you actually conducted the survey yourself.
(Optional) Post the summary of your findings in the discussion board and discuss with your peer about the relationship between social media and socialization.
Writing Project for Lesson 5:
This lesson has focused your attention on social structure and the ideologies sociologists use to explain community social structures. In particular we explored Mechanical and Organic Solidarity as well as Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft.
For this paper, you are charged with applying the social structure that best fits the community in which you live. Would you characterize your community as one that reflects the tenants of Mechanical Solidarity and Gemeinschaft or Organic Solidarity and Gesellschaft? After you select the social structure that best fits your community, address the following in your paper:
1. In your own words, define the social structure(s) you selected.
Mechanical Solidarity and Gemeinschaft
Organic Solidarity and Gesellschaft
2. Identify and describe three characteristics of your community that represent the social structure you determined best represents your community.