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Garner, B., & Grazian, D. (2016, July29). Naturalizing gender through childhood socialization messages in a Zoo. Social Psychology Quarterly, 79(3), 181–198. doi:10.1177/0190272516656620

In emphasizing the context of the zoo as a site for the naturalization of gender categories, this article identifies how adults transmit gender socialization messages to children that promote gender stereotypes associated with the biological determinism of the natural living world.

Questions to Consider

1. How do children, according to this study, learn gender messages while attending the zoo?
2. How did the mothers and fathers, according to this article, differ in how they described the animals at the zoo?
3. How does this study highlight the socialization process?

Malcom, N. L. (2016, July 26). “Shaking it off” and “toughing it out”. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 35(5), 495–525. doi:10.1177/0891241605283571

Using participant-observation research focusing on adolescent girls who participated in recreational softball, this study reveals how the clash of norms between traditional femininity and the sport ethic sheds light on the socialization process.

Questions to Consider

1. How do you think the coaches of these softball teams would treat males differently in regards to attitudes regarding pain and injuries?
2. How does participation in sports in general shape the socialization process among individuals?
3. The researchers utilized participant observation as the main method of data collection for this study. What are the possible disadvantages of utilizing this method?

Katz, L., & Lambert, W. (2016, August 18). A happy and engaged class without cell phones? It’s easier than you think. Teaching of Psychology, 43(4), 340–345. doi:10.1177/0098628316662767

This article presents an easy-to-implement method using positive reinforcement that effectively removes cell phones from the classroom in a way that is highly endorsed by students and that greatly fosters student engagement, class participation, and a focused and respectful classroom atmosphere. In a quasi-experiment, researchers found significant correlations between giving up cell phones and students’ test grades, overall grade point average (GPA), semester’s GPA, and attendance.

Questions to Consider

1. How has the advent of cell phones changed the way individuals communicate in general?
2. According to this article, students who gave up their cell phones achieved higher test scores. What reasons, in your opinion, can account for this?
3. Do you believe that teachers should allow students to have cell phones in his/her classes? Why or why not?