Free ebookSocialization and Identity: How We Become Who We Are

Course Description

Socialization and Identity: How We Become Who We Are is a free ebook course in Basic studies and Sociology that explains how self and society shape each other in everyday life. You will learn to recognize the forces that influence identity, from early relationships to institutions and digital environments, and apply sociological thinking to real situations at home, school, work, and online.

Beginning with core concepts of socialization and identity, the course shows how the self develops through interaction, meanings, and social expectations. You will connect theory to practice by examining how family attachment, language, and early roles set patterns that can support or constrain later choices. As you progress, you will see how peer groups influence belonging, status, and behavior, and how schools transmit performance expectations and a hidden curriculum that can affect confidence, opportunity, and long term outcomes.

The course also explores socialization and identity in media and digital life, where scripts, algorithms, and self presentation shape what we see, how we compare ourselves, and how we perform online. You will examine identity at work through professional roles, organizational culture, and career paths, building a clearer understanding of how workplaces reward certain identities and discourage others.

Across the lifespan, identity formation involves continuity, change, and turning points. You will learn how impression management and everyday performance operate in conversation, relationships, and public settings, and how inequality affects socialization through class, gender, race, disability, and inclusion. By linking identity, choice, and life paths, the course highlights how context shapes decisions, helping you interpret personal experiences with stronger sociological insight.

Start Socialization and Identity: How We Become Who We Are today and use Sociology to better understand yourself, your communities, and the social world you navigate every day.