Using a template, create a one-page digital poster that connects sociological concepts and theories in this course to your life.
Introduction
Social structure, or the patterns of behavior that organize society, shapes our everyday interactions and help us assess and react to daily life. Social structure guides our behavior, and our position in the social structure affects our attitudes, behaviors, and ideas. One aspect of social structure is culture, which is the glue that holds a society together. Culture includes the values, norms, language, food, and customs of a group of people. Socialization, the lifelong social experience through which we learn culture, teaches us to become members of our society. The most common agents of socialization are our family, peers, school, and media. The family, for example, influences a child's development by such things as the way the parents hold a baby, look at it, talk to it, and respond to its needs. We take on typical gender roles at birth as girls are typically given pink clothes while boys are given blue clothes. Family socialization is reinforced or modified by experiences at school and with peers, by the mass media, and by interaction with others. In the second assessment, you will create a poster in which you connect what you are learning about sociological concepts like culture, socialization, and social structure to your life.
Note: The course assessments build upon one another and must be completed in sequence.
Overview
For this assessment, you will create a one-page digital poster that connects sociological concepts and theories in this course to your life. Posters, or emails formatted like a poster, are often used to convey information in a way that catches the viewer's attention. As such, they feature strong visual elements. Creating good posters can help in job settings where there's a regular need to quickly communicate new information. It's also a skill you can use in your personal life (from having a yard sale to volunteering).
Preparation
Review concepts and theories in the following chapters:
- Andersen, M. L., & Taylor, H. F. (2026). Sociology: The essentials (11th ed.). Cengage.
- Chapter 1, "The Sociological Perspective."
- Chapter 2, "Culture."
- Chapter 4, "Socialization and the Life Course."
- Chapter 14, “Education and Health Care.”
- Focus on pages 346–361.
Download the Sociology of Me poster Template[DOCX] and save it to your computer for easy access. If you still have questions on how to get started, please view the Getting Started in the Course media and the "How do I get started on my assignment?" information.
Instructions
Using the Sociology of Me poster Template[DOCX], begin by adding a photo in the box at the top right. Be creative by including additional photos or graphics on your poster. You can also move around or resize the existing text boxes as needed.
In your poster, include the following:
- Describe the impact that culture has had on your life.
- Integrate and apply at least two relevant sociological concepts covered in the assigned course materials, such as culture, subculture, culture shock, ethnocentrism, norms, or values.
- Consider one or more of the following questions as you complete the "Culture" box in the poster template:
- What norms or values are important to your culture?
- What particular customs, beliefs, foods, music, languages, or celebrations are part of your culture?
- How have your cultural experiences contributed to your outlook or beliefs?
- Describe the influence of socialization on your life.
- Integrate and apply at least two relevant sociological concepts covered in the assigned course materials, such as socialization, agents of socialization, looking-glass self, roles, or identity.
- Consider one or more of the following questions as you complete the "Socialization" box in the poster template:
- What agent of socialization had the biggest impact on you? How?
- What roles have you occupied? How have these roles shaped your identity?
- Have you experienced resocialization?
- Explain the role of education in your life.
- Integrate and apply at least two relevant sociological concepts covered in the assigned course materials, such as socialization, hidden curriculum, tracking, stereotypes, or the functions of education.
- Consider one or more of the following questions as you complete the "Education" box in the poster template:
- What major functions has education had for you?
- How has education been related to your life experiences or outcomes?
- What experiences with inequality or stereotypes have you had during your education?
- Explain how sociological theory applies to your life.
- Integrate and apply at least one of the four sociological theories covered in the assigned course materials, such as functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interaction theory, and/or feminist theory.
- Consider one or more of the following questions as you complete the "Theory" box in the poster template:
- Which one of the four sociological theories might help you understand your life or particular experiences you’ve had?
- How might an understanding of one of the theories help you better understand and collaborate with other people?
- Which of the sociological theories could be used to help you solve a particular problem you’ve observed or experienced?
Submission Requirements
Not sure how to submit your assessment? View the Getting Started in the Course media and the "How do I submit my assignment?" information.Your poster submission should meet the following additional requirements:- Written communication: Be sure to address all components of assessment and use the template to structure your text.
- Write in a professional style, with appropriate grammar, usage, and mechanics, using the template to structure text.
- Visual communication: Use visual elements, such as photos or other graphics, to convey meaning and organize information. Use photos you have taken. Do not use AI-generated photos.
- Resources: Use the textbook and other assigned materials from this course as resources for understanding sociological concepts and theories.
- APA formatting: Use Academic Writer for guidance in citing sources and formatting your paper in proper APA style. See the Writing Center for more APA resources specific to your degree level.
- You do not need to include in-text citations. References should be formatted according to APA style. A reference citation for the textbook is provided within the Reference box in the poster template to show you correct formatting. For visual appeal on the poster (and to save space), single spacing is used (in a traditional student paper, APA requires double spacing of text and references). Do include a reference citation for any other resources you used in the References box in your poster.
- Length: One page.
- Font and font size: Adjust font and font size in the template, as needed.
- Written communication: Be sure to address all components of assessment and use the template to structure your text.