Re-examination of Recent Socialization Theories

Abstract

This article presents a case for the usefulness of the concept of autonomous socialization when analyzing personality formation. The author re-examines recent theries of socialization and finds that most have an “over-socialized conception” of socialization. Sociologists, especially, place an overwhelming emphasis on socio-cultural variables as the principle determinants of socialization.It is fruitful to make a distinction between “sociality” which is conditional over the normal socialization process by the functional requisites of the social system and “self-socializing competence” which is acquired through social interaction and spontaneous actions.So called subjecthood (shutaisei in Japanese) is a product of the latter process sociability which is the ability to act spontaneously and carry on interaction with other people, is the basic interpersonal competence required for autonomous socialization. Autonomous and individualized orientations are depend upon adequate competence in sociability.Many other concepts such as self-presentation, altercasting and projective role-taking that have been develeped by symbolic interactionists and phenomenological sociologists also need to be included in the conceptual schemes used to consider self-other interacting process and intra-self systems. In short this article argues that the sociology of personality formation should achieve a reconciliation with the voluntaristic theory of action.