Case Background
Socialization is the lifelong process by which individuals learn and internalize their society or culture’s norms, values, beliefs, and customs. It is a complex process that begins at birth and continues throughout an individual’s life, shaping their attitudes, behaviors, and interactions with others. Socialization occurs through various agents such as family, peer groups, schools, media, and religious institutions, which transmit cultural values and beliefs.
The socialization process can be seen in the series “Family Guy”; Peter Griffin’s family, friends, religion, and other sociological theories influence his character in diverse ways. “Family Guy” is an animated television series about a family. Its main character, Peter Griffin, is the patriarch of the clan. He has a low IQ and is prone to impulsive behavior and crude humor. His wife, Lois, and their kids, including Chris, Stewie, and Meg, are represented as part of the Griffin family. In the show, Peter’s social interactions are influenced by his peers and the community.
As a father and husband, Peter’s behavior and beliefs have been influenced by his efforts to provide for and protect his family. His working-class background also affected his attitudes toward authority and bureaucracy. The members of his group have also contributed to his socialization process. Peter is part of the Griffin clan, which has a set of values and norms. He interacts with his local community’s social groups, including his coworkers and neighbors, which can influence his beliefs and behavior.
Peter’s disregard for social norms and impulsive behavior are some of the factors that lead to his problems. His family and friends support and forgive him for his mistakes, but he still engages in risky behaviors such as drinking and driving. Griffin’s social interactions and behavior are also influenced by various factors, such as his family, friends, and peers. Although his group membership sometimes influences his actions and beliefs, his impulsive nature still leads him into trouble.
Socializing Agents
The Griffin family has always been a significant part of Peter’s life. As the patriarch, he has developed his values and behavior due to his role as a father and husband. However, his relationships with his wife Lois and daughter Meg have often been strained.
Lois is the voice of reason in the family and tries to help Peter become more responsible (Guhin et al., 2021). However, she also allows his impulsive behavior by giving him forgiveness for his mistakes. As a father, Peter tries to protect and provide for his kids. However, his overly permissive parenting style can contribute to a dysfunctional family.
Peter’s interactions with his peers and neighbors have also affected his socialization process. As a result, he has developed an aversion to sex and relationships. He also became more violent due to his feud with his neighbor, who is known as the Giant Chicken. Nonetheless, Peter is a huge movie and television fan. He often refers to the catchphrases and references used by the shows and movies he enjoys.
Due to his obsession with pop culture, he has developed problematic views about people of color and women. Movies, TV, and video games have been known to influence Peter’s socialization (Saha & Sahney, 2022). He often makes fun of various media products and their content, which reflects his views on society. However, his exposure has made him more violent and objectifies women.
Although religion is not a significant aspect of Peter’s character, the occasional use of Catholicism in the show indicates that it has affected his socialization process. At some point, he developed problematic views about authority and family due to his relationship with his religious father (Guhin et al., 2021). Peter’s interactions with the community have helped him develop a sense of belonging and community. For instance, his participation in local events, such as the Quahog Founders’ Day parade, has helped him become a part of the community. His interactions with others have also influenced his attitudes toward multiculturalism and diversity.
Sociological Concepts
Through Freud’s theory on personality development, Peter could learn more about his family. According to the psychoanalytic genius, the personality is formed by the interaction of various components, such as the ego, superego, and id (Zhang, 2020). Freud explained that the personality is formed by interacting with multiple components, such as the ego, superego, and id. Through his theory, Peter’s impulsive behavior and actions can be analyzed. Peter’s id is perceived to be dominant in his behavior, as he often acts without considering the consequences of his actions. For instance, he frequently makes impulsive purchases and gets into trouble.
Erik Erikson’s concept of psychosocial development helps us understand how people develop their identities and social interactions. He states that individuals go through eight phases of development, and each stage has a unique crisis that needs to be resolved to reach their full potential (Sekowski, 2022). The character of Peter Griffin can be analyzed based on Erikson’s theory about middle adulthood, which is the stage where people tend to focus on contributing to society and finding purpose in life.
The series shows how Peter struggles with stagnation and generativity. Although he values his family and role as a father, he fails to contribute to society due to his lack of interest in his job at the toy factory. However, he exhibits generativity by volunteering for a charity and coaching his son’s baseball team.
Social interactions play a major role in determining the cognitive development of an individual. According to Jean Piaget, social interactions are one of the main factors determining how individuals develop their cognitive skills (Pakpahan & Saragih, 2022). He believed that people go through four phases of development, each of which has unique characteristics (Pakpahan & Saragih, 2022).
The character of Peter Griffin can be analyzed based on Piaget’s theory about the development of children and adolescents. Throughout the series, Peter’s father, Francis, has a recurring theme. His father’s harsh treatment could have affected his ability to trust people and develop his cognitive skills.
Overall, Kohlberg’s theory of moral development focuses on how socialization can affect an individual’s morals and values. Peter is often presented with situations and ethical dilemmas that challenge his beliefs and values. Conventional and pre-conventional moral reasoning frequently influences his character’s actions and choices.
For instance, in the “The Thin White Line” episode, he becomes a cop who has to decide if he should turn in his friend, who is a drug addict. When he learns that his friend has been involved in a crime, he initially tries to hide the incident to protect himself. However, he eventually decides to do the right thing by turning in his friend.
Conclusion
Kohlberg’s, Piaget’s, Erikson’s, and Freud’s theories help explain how Peter’s social interactions and experiences shaped his moral reasoning and values. As a result, his views on individual and social issues vary from the majority of the community. However, there are moments when these perspectives can be considered impulsive.
His inability to manage his impulses and experiences with authority figures. Although it has helped him develop his interests and personal qualities, it has also caused him many problems in life. Overall, these theories help explain how Peter’s experiences with authority figures and other social interactions and factors influenced his moral reasoning.
References
Guhin, J., Calarco, J. M., & Miller-Idriss, C. (2021). Whatever happened to socialization?. Annual Review of Sociology, 47, 109-129. Web.
Pakpahan, F. H., & Saragih, M. (2022). Theory of cognitive development by Jean Piaget. Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2(2), 55-60. Web.
Saha, M., & Sahney, S. (2022). Exploring the relationships between socialization agents, social media communication, online shopping experience, and pre-purchase search: a moderated model. Internet Research, 32(2), 536-567. Web.
Sekowski, M. (2022). Attitude toward death from the perspective of Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial ego development: An unused potential. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying, 84(3), 935-957. Web.
Zhang, S. (2020). Psychoanalysis: The Influence of Freud’s Theory in Personality Psychology. In International Conference on Mental Health and Humanities Education (ICMHHE 2020) (pp. 229-232). Atlantis Press. Web.