What is Socialization?

Socialization Definition: The term socialization is used by Sociologists, social psychologists and educationalists to refer to the process of learning one’s culture and how to live within it. For the individual it provides the skills and habits necessary for acting and participating within their society. For the society, inducting all individual members into its moral norms, attitudes, values, motives, social roles, language and symbols is the ‘means by which social and cultural continuity are attained’

Norms Values Belief

Human infants are born without any culture Human infants are born without any culture.  They must be transformed by their parents, teachers, and others into cultural and socially adept animals.  The general process of acquiring culture is referred to as socialization. During socialization, we learn the language of the culture we are born into as well as the roles we are to play in life.  For instance, girls learn how to be daughters, sisters, friends, wives, and mothers.  In addition, they learn about the occupational roles that their society has in store for them.  We also learn and usually adopt our culture's norms through the socialization process.  Norms are the conceptions of appropriate and expected behavior that are held by most members of the society.  While socialization refers to the general process of acquiring culture, anthropologists use the term enculturation for the process of being socialized to a particular culture.  You were enculturated to your specific culture by your parents and the other people who raised you.

Forms Of Socialization Reverse Socialization Developmental Socialization Primary Socialization Secondary Socialization Anticipatory Socialization Resocialization

Primary Socialization: Primary socialization is the process whereby the people make a child learn the attitudes, values, and actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture. Secondary Socialization Secondary socialization refers to the process of learning what is appropriate behavior as a member of a smaller group within the larger society. It is usually associated with teenagers and adults, and involves smaller changes than those occurring in primary socialization.

Developmental Socialization Developmental socialization is the process of learning behavior in a social institution or developing your social skills. Anticipatory Socialization: Anticipatory socialization refers to the processes of socialization in which a person "rehearses" for future positions, occupations, and social relationships. Resocialization Resocialization refers to the process of discarding former behavior patterns and accepting new ones as part of a transition in one's life. This occurs throughout the human life cycle. Resocialization can be an intense experience, with the individual experiencing a sharp break with their past, and needing to learn and be exposed to radically different norms and values. An example might be the experience of a young man or woman leaving home to join the military.

Agents of Socialization

Agents Of Socialization Family Education Peer Groups Mass Media Religion, Work Place and The State

Most important agent of socialization Families have similar political views Children hold similar affiliation as parents Family

Schools pass on American political values Similar peer groups Schools

Influenced by what they report Mass Media Influenced by what they report

Socialization Perspectives Structural-functionalism: socialization perpetuates society by making needs of individuals match needs of society Conflict perspective: socialization reproduces inequality • “Haves” & “have-nots” are socialized differently • “Haves” control agents of socialization Symbolic interactionism: socialization involves learning shared meanings that make social action possible