Socialization

Personal Socialization Experiences

What have you learned from your family? Consider...

• Attitudes: a state of mind or a disposition: attitude towards something...

• Beliefs: the basic understandings you hold; may be religious

• Norms: expected patterns of behaviour with in a specific group of individuals

• Values: principles which are important to you; intangibles

What have you learned from the educational system?

What have you learned from your peer group? Consider both positive and negative influences.

• What have you learned from the media?

• What have you learned from other sources: church, organized sports, etc.?

A Definition…

• the lifelong process by which people acquire attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour patterns expected of a specific society

Agents of Socialization

1. The Family• the primary agent of socialization• first & longest lasting agent• gives a child his identity, status• provides role models for acceptable

behaviour• passes on norms, values, traditions• teaches sex roles

2. The School• a secondary agent of socialization• organizes social relationships• prepares child for adult life through occupation

preparation• teaches norms, society behaviour, values

(democracy, fairness, patience, cooperation, etc)

– 1st time you were under control of an adult other than a parent.• Teacher kind but not affectionate in same

way as parents• Teacher enforced rules impartially and did

not allow the kind of exceptions to them that parents might.

• Rules not negotiated• Some children soon discovered, received

more than others = rewards, and prizes or more attention for undesirable behaviour

• Therefore classroom was an unequal place despite teachers efforts

3. The Peer Group

• a secondary agent

• provides a reference group for children

• the setting for children to develop close

relationships with others

• opportunities to experience independence & social skills

1) they serve as a reference group

2) teach or socialize individuals about how to share, handle conflict, participate in activities with others, measure one’s physical social and mental abilities

3) 3) support a young person when dealing with adult authority

4. The Media

• a secondary agent

• teaches functions of society, norms, values, ideals (both positive & negative)

5. Others

• secondary agents

• includes church, community agencies, athletic teams, daycare centre, etc

Issues in Socialization

1. It is believed that children are active participants in their own socialization (they are not passive recipients)

- the process is interactive as a result of environmental stimulation opportunities

2. Socialization is a two-way process; as the caregivers are socializing the child, the child is also socializing the caregivers

- this is a process of mutuality

3. Socialization is a lifelong process

- primary socialization is more focussed during childhood & adolescence

- primary socialization lays the foundation for later learning but does not entirely prepare individuals for adulthood

4. Adolescent Socialization

• teen years are often considered a time of ‘crisis’

• a period of tension between the dependence of the past & the anticipated independence of the future

• - becoming less oriented to parents & more oriented to peers & other adults

6. Gender Socialization

• definition - the processes by which people learn to be masculine or feminine according to the expectations

current in their society

• sex-role stereotyping may begin even before birth

• from birth, boys & girls are handled differently• boys: jostled with, played with more roughly,

handled more as an infant, punished more, have

more freedom, not encouraged to be effeminate• girls: cuddled, talked to more, punished with

more gentle reprimands, encouraged to be neat,

obedient, feminine, quieter, passive, controlled

• by 3 years of age, children understand that they are boy/girl; show preferences toward gender

• supported & reinforced by parents’ choice of toys