Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Karen S. Myers-Bowman / Rudabeh Nazarinia-Roy / Racial identity of mixed race individuals is important to understand because of the growing proportion of the population with parents from different racial groups. Having more than one racial heritage has a direct impact on how these children are seen by others as well as how they understand and encounter the world around them. Parents socialize their children in matters of race and discrimination that can impact their racial identity development, which is a component of their overall identity development. The aim of this study was explore how multiracial children are socialized and the impact of that socialization on racial identity formation from a heuristic perspective. Heuristic inquiry is a facet of phenomenology that seeks to understand the researcher’s experience of the phenomenon; therefore, I provided data on my experiences with raising a mixed-race child in a monoracial family. Two other families experiencing the same phenomenon were also interviewed. Themes related to racial profiling, parental perception of the mixed race child’s personality, skin tone, level of respect, and parenting were identified through the five-step analysis process recommended by Moustakas for heuristic inquiry, including immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis. This study highlights relevant aspects in the lives of mixed-race children, how that impacts the way society views mixed-race individuals, and how those individuals encounter the world around them.

Researchers agree that Puerto Ricans lack basic financial knowledge that would allow them to participate in the financial system actively. However, the literature did not provide any data about the knowledge transmission practices that Puerto Ricans use to gather and transmit financial knowledge. As a result, there was a limited understanding of the social learning processes used by Puerto Rican college students to make financial decisions. Using consumer socialization and family financial socialization models as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to identify the information sources that Puerto Ricans use to gather financial knowledge. A sample of 198 Puerto Rican college students answered a portion of the College Student Financial Literacy Survey. The research questions examined the preference of 4 financial information sources, their level of influence, and the impact of exposure frequency of these socialization agents. Descriptive statistics showed that participants preferred to gather financial knowledge from parents. A combination of one-way ANOVA and RMANOVA confirmed that parents also had the highest level of influence. The results of a multiple linear regression test suggested that the frequency of exposure did not predict the financial knowledge of students in the sample. The outcomes of this study may be helpful in optimizing the communication vehicles used to transmit financial knowledge to the public. Researchers, educators, and policymakers may also use this study as foundation for the development of effective financial education strategies that will promote positive social change in Puerto Rico.

Dans un contexte de diversification des configurations familiales, cette thèse analyse d’abord l’impact des bifurcations familiales sur la socialisation politique secondaire des femmes. Elle permet ensuite de comprendre comment ces bifurcations influent sur la façon dont les femmes conçoivent leur rôle d’agent socialisateur auprès de leurs (beaux-) enfants. L’enquête s’appuie sur une double comparaison, d’une part entre trois structures familiales - nucléaires, monoparentales et recomposées - et d’autre part entre des contextes associatifs et non associatifs. Une analyse quantitative des données ÉRFI de l’INED vient compléter le recours à des méthodes qualitatives plurielles : une enquête ethnographique dans trois associations et une enquête par entretiens auprès de 88 femmes, mères en famille nucléaire ou monoparentale et belles-mères en famille recomposée. Les résultats montrent que les configurations familiales influent sur le processus de socialisation politique. Les expériences de recomposition, et encore plus de séparation, suscitent chez les femmes des socialisations de transformation ; celles-ci sont marquées par une modification de leurs valeurs à l’égard de la famille et des rôles de genre, de leur perception de la justice, des politiques de la famille et des politiques sociales. Ces transformations influent in fine sur le rapport des femmes à l’offre politique. La trajectoire familiale affecte ensuite la façon dont les femmes conçoivent leur rôle d’agent socialisateur. L’analyse montre que le contenu qu’elles souhaitent diffuser à leurs (beaux-) enfants ainsi que les mécanismes et l’intentionnalité à agir qu’elles décrivent varient selon la structure familiale. / In a context of diversification of family structures, this thesis begins by analyzing the impact of familial turning points on the political socialization of women. In addition, it provides an understanding of how these turning points impact the way women see themselves as agents of socialization for their children or stepchildren. This study is based on a twofold comparison in France: on the one side, an examination of three different family structures (nuclear families, single-parent families and stepfamilies) and, on the other side, a comparison of associative and non-associative contexts. A quantitative analysis of ERFI data provided by INED complements the use of several qualitative methods: an ethnographic study within three associations and an interview study carried out with 88 women, mothers in nuclear or single-parent families and stepfamilies. The results of this thesis show that family structures influence the political socialization process of women. Experiences of family blending, and even more those of separation, arouse the transformation of socialization among women. These transformations are marked by a change in their values regarding family and gender roles, their perception of justice as well as of familial and social policies. They finally affect women’s attitude toward the political offer. Family trajectory therefore impacts the way women see themselves as agents of socialization. The analysis demonstrates that family structure influences what women want to pass on to their children or stepchildren, the way they do it and their degree of intentionality.

Proactive socialization tactics, measures that organizational newcomers take to facilitate their own adjustment, have been shown to predict adjustment and more distal work-related outcomes, such as organizational commitment and intent to remain with the organization. Several cognitions and behaviors are considered to be types of proactive socialization tactics, but research has yet to distinguish between different types. Also, several individual dispositions have been identified as antecedents of proactive socialization tactics, but there has been little focus on identifying contextual or non-dispositional individual difference antecedents. The purpose of this research was to propose a dual-mode conceptualization of proactive socialization tactics and to distinguish between tactics directed toward changing oneself and those directed toward changing one's environment. This research also examined the role of contextual factors, the newcomer's age, and the newcomer's work experience as antecedents of proactive socialization tactics. The results of this research suggest that job and workgroup characteristics do indeed play a role in predicting proactive socialization tactics. Age and work experience were predictors as well, but not as strong as expected. Both self-directed and environment-directed proactive socialization tactics predicted desirable adjustment outcomes, but self-directed tactics were clearly stronger predictors of these outcomes. There was some evidence to suggest that newcomers' early fit perceptions moderated relationships between antecedents, such as workgroup characteristics, and proactive socialization tactics. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Ugdymo sociologijos magistro baigiamojo darbo tema yra aktuali, nes staigūs socialiniai pokyčiai Lietuvoje padarė įtaką daugelio žmonių gyvenimui. Atsirado disfunkcinių, socialinės rizikos šeimų, kurios dažnai tampa įvairių neigiamų reiškinių priežastimi. Pagausėjo skyrybų arba šeimų, kurių nariai nuolatos išgyvena konfliktus, smurtą, prievartą ir panašiai. Tokiose šeimose augantys vaikai patys linkę smurtauti, nesugeba sutvardyti pykčio, sunkiai adaptuojasi kolektyve, turi mokymosi problemų, dažniau linkę į savižudybę. Vaikų dienos centrai – tai įstaigos, kurios teikia dienos globos, prevencines, informavimo, konsultavimo, maitinimo organizavimo bei materialinės paramos paslaugas sunkiai prisitaikiusioms prie socialinių ir ekonominių Lietuvos pokyčių šeimoms su vaikais. Šių paslaugų teikimo esmė – daryti tai, kas įmanoma, kad žmogus galėtų gyventi savarankiškai, tinkamai rūpintis savo vaikais, kad vaikai nepakliūtų į valstybines globos įstaigas ir turėtų tinkamas sąlygas gyventi biologinėse šeimose. Lietuvoje veikiantys VDC nėra unikalūs. Daugelyje Europos valstybių įvairios paskirties atviri vaikų ir jaunimo dienos centrai veikia ir yra sukaupę didžiulę patirtį. Vienus iš pavyzdinių vaikų dienos centrų veiklos modelių galima pamatyti Belgijoje, Vokietijoje ar Norvegijoje. Nuo Lietuvos centrų jie skiriasi tuo, kad daugumoje užsienio valstybių jie yra atviri visuomenei, t. y. bet kuris valstybėje gyvenantis vaikas gali jį lankyti su vaiko teisių specialistų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Sudden social changes in Lithuania have affected the lives of many people that is why the topic of this final piece of master’s studies of sociology of education is relevant these days. Dysfunctional and At-Risk families, which usually bring many negative experiences, started appearing. A number of divorces and the number of families that constantly experience conflicts, violence and constraint has increased. Children who grow up in such families incline using violence themselves, find it more difficult to control anger, have trouble learning at school, have difficulties adapting to new environment, and are also more likely to think about suicide. Children’s day centers are institutions that provide day care, consultation, food, prevention and material support for the families with children, which have difficulties adapting to new social and economic changes. The reason for these services is to do everything to help people live independently, to help and teach them to take care of their children properly, so children could stay in their biological families, and not be sent to the state orphanages. Children’s day centers in Lithuania are not unique; such institutions with diverse purposes are working in many European countries, have a lot of experience, and are open to all children. The best examples of these children’s day centers are seen in Belgium, Germany and Norway. They are different from the day centers in Lithuania in openness, in these countries every child can... [to full text]

This diploma thesis deals with the issue of consumer socialization. Socialization is influenced by four main factors, which are the media, family, peers and school. The aim of this work is to examine the role that the media play in the process of consumer socialization. The media are examined in the context of other factors that are inseparable from each other and therefore cannot be studied separately. The theoretical part deals with the phenomenon of consumption and consumer society, which are a prerequisite for consumer socialization. It also presents basic knowledge in the field of socialization, the media as a socialization factor and, last but not least, existing knowledge and research associated with consumer socialization. Through qualitative interviews with children aged ten to twelve, data were collected, which was then interpreted by thematic analysis. The analysis shows that children reflect their consumption and consumer desires by what is happening or seen in the media. The media itself is also consumed by children, but in the environment of new media it is often a matter of prosuming, ie that children are both producers and consumers of media content. In the process of consumer socialization, the media can be perceived as a significant actor and at the same time as a link that...

Kunskaper inom området organisationssocialisation bygger mestadels på studier genomförda i relativt stabila organisationsmiljöer. Med utgångspunkt i att dagens arbetsliv snarare karaktäriseras av förändring och utveckling ser vi dock ett behov av kompletterande studier. Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka hur vår studie riktade sig därför till att undersöka hur socialisationen av nyanställda ser ut i nyskapade verksamheter med avsikt att utveckla kunskap om hur nyanställda på en sådan verksamhet utvecklas i sina roller till att bli fullvärdiga medlemmar. Studien genomfördes med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer med medarbetare inom en verksamhet vilken betraktas som nystartad. Med utgångspunkt i ett teoretiskt perspektiv om osäkerhetsreducering framkommer tre centrala fynd. I studien framgår det att de nyanställda funnit väldigt starka band och sociala relationer till varandra, av den anledningen att det saknats annan tidigare anställd personal och samtliga nyanställda såg sig själva kliva in i organisationen som en gemenskap. Organisationskulturens ostadiga karaktär var något som bidrog till ett proaktivt beteende hos noviserna där de i den nya verksamheten, tillsammans med andra nya anställda, i högre grad fick driva sin egen socialisering med stöd och bekräftelse av varandra i hanteringen av osäkerheter som präglat både deras och verksamhetens första tid. / Knowledge in the field of organizational socialization is mostly based on studies conducted in relatively stable organizational environments. Based on the fact that today's working life is rather characterized by change and development, we see a need for supplementary studies. The purpose of this study has been to investigate how socialization of new employees looks like in newly created businesses, with the intention of developing knowledge on how new employees in such businesses are shaped in their role to become a worthy member of the organization. The study was conducted with the help of semi-structured interviews with employees in a business considered to be newly started. Based on a theoretical perspective of uncertainty reduction, three key findings emerged. The study shows that the new employees found very strong associations and social relations with each other. Because of the lack of other previously employed staff, all new employees saw themselves stepping into the organization as a community. The unstable nature of the organizational culture was something that contributed to a proactive behavior of the novices, where in the new business together with other new employees, they were more likely to pursue their own socialization with support and confirmation of each other in dealing with uncertainties that characterized both their and the business' first time.

There is little academic research that examines whether there are differences between the ways probation officers and community members perceive the use of force on juvenile offenders. Failure to understand the differences in these perceptions negatively affected a probation department in California, which failed to address public concerns regarding the use of force in the juvenile hall, which resulted in a consent decree and a costly financial settlement. Using socialization theory as the foundation, the purpose of this study was to understand if there is a statistically significant difference between probation officers and civilians regarding their perceptions of use of force against juvenile offenders. Data were collected from a nonprobability sample of probation officers (n = 71) and community members (n = 125) in a Northern California community through an online survey that featured 5 scenarios of escalating behavior from a juvenile offender. Respondents were asked to evaluate whether the use of force was appropriate or excessive for each scenario. Data were analyzed using an independent samples t test and chi-square tests of independence. Findings indicated that, overall, there is a statistically significant difference in the perception of use of force between the 2 groups (p <. -4.04). Specifically, community members are more likely to have a lower threshold of tolerance for use of force than probation officers in 3 of the 5 scenarios in the survey. The positive social change implications of this study include recommendations to probation departments in California for enhanced collaboration and training with community members to better understand the expectations of each group related to use of force and the treatment of juvenile offenders.

Cultural socialization has been linked with child development and outcome, but, to date, the majority of research has focused on race and ethnicity. However, since families headed by gay and lesbian parents experience stigma related to parental sexual orientation, socialization practices may be uniquely important for families headed by gay and lesbian parents. The present study examined same-sex parent socialization among 54 families headed by gay and lesbian parents (52 fathers, 43 mothers, 51 school-aged children) using a cultural socialization framework. Findings revealed that parents engaged in socialization along three dimensions: Cultural Socialization, Preparation for Bias, and Proactive Parenting. Children perceived same-sex parent socialization with less frequency than parents reported engaging in these behaviors across all dimensions. In general, same-sex parent socialization was not associated with child behavioral adjustment. Neither same-sex parent socialization nor child behavioral adjustment was associated with whether parents were gay or lesbian. Results from this study justify the need to broaden our conceptualization of cultural socialization to be more inclusive of these diverse family structures.

The current research recruited 200 college students from the University of North Texas to explore the direct and indirect effects of familial ethnic-racial socialization on selected psychosocial variables (i.e., general self-efficacy, life satisfaction, and psychological distress) via ethnic-racial identity variables: exploration, affirmation, and resolution. The results indicated that cultural socialization from family predicted life satisfaction via exploration and resolution, predicted general self-efficacy via affirmation and resolution, and predicted psychological distress via affirmation. Additionally, patterns between exploration, affirmation, and resolution were explored through cluster analyses, and six ethnic-racial identity clusters were identified. The amount of familial ethnic-socialization and general self-efficacy reported by participants varied significantly among the identified ethnic-racial identity clusters. Implications of the findings for therapeutic interventions, university programs, and ethnic-racial identity measurement as well as limitations and future research directions are discussed.