Agents of Socialization

Socialization is the process through which an individual inherits the norms, customs and ideologies of the social order they live in (ie. learns how to behave in society). Socialization is necessary for making an individual capable of interacting within the society .A person learns socialization through Agents of Socialization (AoS specific groups).

Specific sites or groups carry out socialization. We call these agents of socialization.Similar to the concept of a business agent or insurance agent, they represent and act on the behalf of the larger societyThere's nothing "official" about these agents

What are the AoS3 Main Types:Primary AgentsThe primary agents of socialization include those people that are closest to an individual. family and friends. family, plays an important role in shaping the life and behavior of an individual within the society.Secondary AgentsThe secondary agents of socialization are those institutions or places that help an individual find his place within the society. religious institutions, schools, work places, etcschool, helps an child in improving social skills that helps the individual in integrating well with the society around him.

Social Classesare those agents of socialization, that divide an individual within the society. include the lower class, working middle class and the higher elite class.

AoS Over TimeEffect on Life CycleThe effects of socialization can cause an individual or a group of individuals to alter their beliefs and behavior over time Most commonly seen during political revolutions, where masses tend to follow a particular ideology Period EffectThe effect of socialization affects not an individual or a group of people, but the entire society. The common examples of period effects are Black Plague, Great Depressions, etc.

Cohort Effectis a social event that creates a major impact on a specific group of people. This can be explained by the Hiroshima Nagasaki bombings or the Vietnam War.

Influences of AoSIndividuals responds differently to different agents of socialization. FamilyMass MediaPeersSchool (Education)

*In the order in which children are generally exposed to.

FamilyThe family is the earliest and without question the most influential agent of socialization. It grabs the child at birth, when the child is most helpless and dependent and doesn't let go for a whole lifetime. Socialization from the cradle to the grave.The family values, beliefs, religious inclinations and political views shape an individual's outlook towards society.

What makes socialization in the family so important and influential? Foundation for all civilized behavior: Language abilities (learning to talk) Body control (e.g., toilet training) Emotional control (e.g., "don't hit your sister") Rules of public conduct (e.g., "don't throw food") Moral values (e.g., "lying is a sin")

Lifetime impacts affecting the person's self-esteem, emotional health, identity, and personality Origin point of gender roles (masculine and feminine behavior; fundamental division of the social world into men and women) Origin point of ethnocentrisms and racism (racial and ethnic prejudice) Source of original social capital that determines life chances

The amazing power of the family as an agent of socialization comes from a major factorThe family has almost exclusive control of the person during the first years of life and preeminent control during the childhood and adolescent years Preeminent control = Cultural norms and the law recognize the parent's right to determine what is best for their children as trumping the rights of almost any institution

Why would children put up with being socialized? As if they had a choice! The child's dependent situation and emotional attachment to parents motivates the child to be socialized. Without adults, human children are very vulnerable, largely helpless.Basic love bondchildren want to please their parents.

By later childhood the family's power as a socialization agent has weakened considerably. In the adolescent years that power is further weakened by peer group influencesOverall there has been an historical trend of the family's power as an agent of socialization being steadily eroded by the media, peer subculture and schooling.

Mass MediaIn today's world, mass media is one of important agents of socialization. People are influenced by the social norms portrayed by the mass media. Political, religious and social views are enforced in a hard way through the repeated exposure and arguments put forth by the agents of mass media.

Includes: Television Radio Movies Music Books, magazines, etc. Internet

Somewhere around the age of two or three, children in our society first encounter the media as an agent of socialization in the form of TV. Socialization comes through from children's shows, cartoons, and, most especially, commercials. through the characters, images, words, and narrative story lines.

Some media specifically acts to be an agent of socialization (e.g., children's programs such as Sesame Street)Dangers: media seriously challenges the family, with children spending as much or more time in front of the TV as interacting with parents.Many of the messages and values challenge or directly contradict what parent's teach their children.

PeersPeers have great impact on an individual's thoughts and line of thinking. An individual learns to behave in a manner that they think will be acceptable to their peers. Peer acceptance is an important part of socialization.

Peers are people of roughly the same age (same stage of development and maturity), similar social identity, and close social proximity. friends, buddies, pals, troops, etc. Typically, children encounter peer group influence around age three or so. With peers, the child begins to broaden his or her circle of influence to people outside of the immediate family.

Often peer interaction in the earliest years is closely supervised by parents so it tends to parallel and reinforce what is learned in the family. What is added to socialization are social skills in group situation with social equals.Before this time children basically dealt with people in a superior position.

As childhood progresses, peer group interactions become more autonomous (less observed and supervised by adults).The lessons learned also progress from basic rules of group interaction to more complex strategies of negotiation, dominance, leadership, cooperation, compromise, etc.

SchoolAfter family, schools are probably the most important influence on an individual. Schools help pass on knowledge, create awareness and foster the feelings of tolerance within individuals. The second step to socialization is schools where a child meets different kinds of children and learns to make out the right and wrong in society.

Traditionally around seven years old the child enters the school system in the first grade. Today the process often starts earlier in Kindergarten or day care.Socialization takes three forms in school: Official CurriculumSocial CurriculumHidden Curriculum

Official CurriculumWhat the school system and its teachers announce as their content and goal. It includes the knowledge & skills learned in English, math, history, etc.The school is the official place where our society transmits it accumulated knowledge and skills from one generation to next.officially pass on our cultural values, tradition, and heritage.

Social Curriculumlearning social behavior appropriate for peer groups that are not friendship groups, which then become the model for secondary group interactions.now the child learns to communicate, negotiate, dominate, etc. with peers outside of their immediate social circle, often from diverse social backgrounds.

Hidden Curriculumlearning the rules of behavior need to function in formally organized groups.It includes such behavior maxims as: Don't talk when the teacher is talking Get your assignments in on time Not all teachers have the same rules for their class

As preparation for the adult world of formal organization and workplace authority, the hidden curriculum stresses such things as formalization and standardization, following instructions, obedience to authority figures that are not Mom and Dad, learning to control behavior and fit into the group, pleasing (even manipulating) authority figures, and working in teams.

Other AoSOther possible AoS are:Community and CultureReligionWork PlaceThe StateMilitary