Agents of Socialization – the specific individuals, groups, and institutions that enable socialization to take place Agents of Socialization

The single most important agent of socialization It’s major role is in the socialization of young people Where we learn the values, norms, and beliefs of our society Deliberate Socialization Intended teachings of the family, example: learning importance of telling truth, being considerate of others Unintended Socialization Father may have explained being polite, but son witnesses instances of the father being very inpolite Which does the child follow? The Family

As children grow up, the begin to form relationships beyond their family, specifically with their Peer Groups A primary group composed of individuals roughly equal in age and similar social characteristics The influence comes primarily through the pre-teen and teenage years Peer Acceptance – a powerful force in the lives of young people that causes them to accept the values and standards of their peers (akin to Peer Pressure) They become the person they believe the group wants them to be (dominate I or Me?) How does the socialization of the peer group conflict with the socialization of the family? The Peer Group - Full HouseFull House

Between ages of 5-18 young people spend nearly 40 weeks a year at school. Most school socialization is deliberate Lessons are prepare with specific goals/task in mind – teaching reading, writing, math. Extra Curricular activities like dances, clubs, and athletics help prepare students for larger society However, school is also privy to many unintended socializations Teachers Peer Groups Administrators All exist within the walls of the school setting The School

The Mass-Media are instruments of communication that reach large audiences with no personal contact between those sending the information and those receiving it. Books, Films, Internet, Magazines, Newspapers, Radio, TV 98% of homes in the united States have television sets Children average 28 hours of TV a week and is the primary after-school activity for 6-17 year olds Estimated that by the age of 18, kids will have witnessed over 200,000 fictional acts of violence and over 16,000 murders on TV What’s the effect? TV typically depicts, white, middle class values Thus leaving mean religions, ethnic groups, and economic groups unrepresented The Mass Media – Media SocializationMedia Socialization

Total Institution – is a setting in which people are isolated from the rest of society for a set period of time and are subject to tight control Prisons, Boot Camps, Monasteries, Psychiatrict Hospitals are examples Resocialization – primary goal of total institutions, involves a break from past experiences and learning of new values/norms Think Chris Herron’s trip to rehab Individual is denied to be an individual and is forced into a uniform lifestyle – weakening the sense of self enables one to more easily rebuild a person to a new behavior. Brooks Was Here - Shawshank Redemption Resocialization

The Family Deliberate Socialization Unintended Socialization Peer group Peer acceptance Peer pressure The School Mass Media Total Institution Resocialization Key Vocabulary