College of Education

School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 – 2016/2017

SOCI 221

Basic Concepts in Sociology

Session 9 –Socialization and the Humanizing Process

Lecturer: Dr. Samson Obed Appiah, Dept. of Sociology Contact Information: soappiah@ug.edu.gh

Session Overview

• Overview • This session introduces students to ideas and concepts that help us

understand that human beings are social animals and much of what we are comes from what we learnt from others. We enter the world as biological creatures with much potentials but waiting to realize them as social beings through interaction with others through the process of socialization.

• Objective of Session: At the end of the session, the student will be able to

• Explain why human beings are social animals • Distinguish between the concepts of nature and nurture • Define the concept of socialization • Identify the agencies and agents of socialization

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Session Outline

The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows:

• Topic One : Human Beings as Social Animals

• Topic Two: The Concept of Socialization

• Topic Three: The Nature vs. Nurture Debate

• Topic Four: Agents and Agencies of Socialization

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Topic 1: Human Beings as Social Animals

• Human Beings as Social Animals

• Human beings enter the world as biological creatures with many potentials.

• But waiting to have them realized as social beings through interaction with others.

• At birth the newly born baby is not only helpless, its also ill-prepared to face the world; and cannot relate to others as compared to the lower animals.

• Human beings are born biological, but we are social animals because we live our lives in society.

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Human Beings as Social Animals Cont.

• Our life is inevitably social because we need the company of others to meet all our basic needs;

• Human beings are there social animals since much of what we are comes from what we learnt from others;

• This therefore requires that since we are biological by birth, we need to be trained and brought up to become useful members of society;

• And this is where Socialization or the Humanizing process becomes relevant.

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Topic 2: The Concept of Socialization

• The Concept of Socialization

• In comparison with other species human beings enter the world as unfinished creatures.

• This because we are not born as social beings, able to participate in society which is social.

• We only become social only in the course of socialization – a process of social interaction by which people acquire the knowledge, skills, values and behavior for effective participation in society

• Socialization is the process of becoming a social/human being and continues throughout one’s life.

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The Concept of Socialization Cont.

• Socialization is a continuous life-long process since individuals must learn new cultural norms and values as they enter new social context, groups and situations.

• Socialization as a process can be divided into five phases or types:

Primary Socialization which childhood training and begins in the family with parents and close relatives.

Secondary Socialization which occurs outside the family, in schools, churches and workplaces.

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The Concept of Socialization Cont.

Re-socialization which occurs when people are made to learn new patterns of behavior they have;

Anticipatory Socialization involves individuals trying to copy other people’s behavior and behave like them;

Adult Socialization occurs when adults move into new neighborhood, new occupation or organization;

Adult Socialization also occurs when older people must come to terms with dramatic changes in life such as retirement, death of a spouse or being disabled.

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Topic 3: The Nature vs. Nurture Debate

• The Nature vs. Nurture Debate

• Human infants behave just like animals since every one is born like any other animal;

• As a result, some people assume that humans like other animals have instinctive human nature;

• By this some people give biological explanations to our behavior, arguing that some are born criminals or aggressive;

• This position falls within the Nature Argument which holds that in most cases human behavior is caused by biological factors or Nature.

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The Nature vs. Nurture Debate Cont.

• However, sociologists are of the view that what we are and become is due to social learning or our environment.

• In this respect, human beings are seen as products of specific social context and this attributed to Nurture;

• Human beings are born with biological potentials but they depend on environmental factors to develop it;

• In Sociology, Nurture is considered more important than Nature in explaining human behavior hence as Macionis (2003:117) observes Nurture is our Nature.

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Topic 4:Agencies and Agents of Socialization

• Agencies and Agents of Socialization

• Socialization is undertaken by many groups and individuals considered as Agencies and Agents;

• The larger organizations, groups and institutions such as family, schools, churches and workplaces that influences our orientations to life are known as the Agencies of Socialization.

• The individuals within the organizations and institutions such as parents in the family, teachers in schools, pastors of churches are the Agents of Socialization

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Agencies and Agents of Socialization Cont.

• The most prominent Agencies of Socialization in society are: The family, The Peer Group, The School, Mass Media, Work Organizations and the Church.

• The Family is considered the most basic agency of socialization since it is the unit into which individuals are born and have their first contact;

• School are another major source of socialization as they impact knowledge, discipline and skills to the younger generation;

• The Church provide religious values that influences morality, becoming a key component in people’s ideas of right and wrong.

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Agencies and Agents of Socialization Cont.

• The Peer Group refers to a group of individuals roughly of the same age linked by common interest; and includes friends, clubs, gangs and neighbors.

• The influence of the Peer Group is compelling because:

They have common interest, which represent issues critical for the individual at any specific time;

They provide guideline for vital aspects of life as they bring their experiences together e.g. sex;

They are voluntary in that if you don’t play the game according to the rules you can face a boycott, which can be a terrible experience.

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Sample Questions

• Identify and discuss what you consider to be the THREE (3) most significant agents of socialization in the Ghanaian society today and give reasons for your choice.

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Reading List/References

• Refer to students to relevant text/chapter or reading materials you will make available on Sakai

• Henslin, J.M. (2007). Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing. (Pages 60-71).

• Hughes, M., Kroehler, C.J. (2005). Sociology: The Core (7th Edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (Pages 70-77).

• Schaefer, Richard T. (2004). Sociology: A Brief Introduction. (5TH Edition) Boston: McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.

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