agents of socialization essay conclusion

Socialization: Definition and Theories Words: 1178
The Process of Socialization Words: 1397
Family as the Primary Agent of Socialization Words: 315
Agents of Socialization: The Development of Social Media Platforms Words: 402
Gender and Racial Socialization Words: 568
The Impact of Socialization on People Words: 794
Gender Socialization During the First 12 Years of Life Words: 1403
Why Is the Family Considered the Most Important Agent of Socialization Words: 329
Value of Genders in Society: Agents of Socialization Words: 832
Concepts of Socialization and Self-Identity Words: 1224
Socialization and Decision to Pursue Higher Education Words: 806
Socialization and Causes of Alcohol Consumption Words: 944

Agents of Socialization Overview and Analysis

Socialization is a process of becoming a member of a social group that accompanies a person throughout their entire life. One acquires the necessary roles, values, and standards as a result. People and institutes that facilitate the process are the agents of socialization, although some, particularly from the former group, may not realize their importance. This paper will discuss each agent and the respective role in-depth.

Socialization logically starts in the family, where a person spends the most time during the early years. Children acquire basic cultural knowledge, acceptable behaviors, and various social skills (Laible et al. 35). The important aspects of early socialization are its quality, characterized by warmth, security, and reciprocity, and relational processes, which directly affect one’s behavior (Laible et al. 52). It is not uncommon for relatives to focus on one of those and ignore the other, but it can be detrimental to a child’s later development (Laible et al. 35). As for me, the family was responsible for developing my moral qualities and values, and while I rarely received a punishment, I knew what was right or wrong based on my parents’ reactions and words.

The second agent of socialization moving forward is school, where a person can spend a considerable amount of time if higher education is included. Education’s role in the process is to transmit society’s cultural legacy and tools, including knowledge and skills, to a new generation (Branco 31). It is done for an individual’s development and, ideally, for students to actively participate in the social landscape and shape it (Branco 31). Due to the established goals, school may seem like a conservative institute, but it is not always true (Branco 31). To successfully prepare future citizens, schools should combine traditional and progressive elements, as values may remain static, but knowledge is relatively dynamic (Branco 31). I would say that compared to my family, school as an institute was mostly responsible for developing patriotic feelings and respect for science. It was not always a pleasant experience, as a teacher’s personality could affect my interest in a subject or an idea, but it also taught me how to communicate with people in a superior position.

Once a person starts interacting with people of their age outside of the family, peer socialization begins. Its intensity and relevance depend on the developmental stage, as communication in kindergarten is vastly different from being involved with teenage peers (Bukowski et al. 263). With the former, the family’s influence is still strong, so it does not produce much effect, but in the latter case, a person finds people of the same age more relevant (Bukowski et al. 263). Thus, they acquire new values, emotions, patterns, potentially overriding those that existed formerly (Bukowski et al. 264). While a group’s influence can vary, being rejected particularly affects socialization and leads to externalized behavioral issues (Bukowski et al. 238). Out of all agents, peer groups are, perhaps, most unpredictable and dynamic (Bukowski et al. 245). One can go through many peers by changing schools, jobs, or maturing, but they can still leave a lingering impact (Bukowski et al. 245). While I cannot say that any peer group managed to make me a new person, they taught me such concepts and emotions as love, friendship, betrayal, and others.

Religion is another important socialization agent, although it may not be equally relevant for everyone. It is an important source of values, morals, and life orienteers for those who are religious (Pratt and Hardy 665). Sacred texts serve as their source and provide knowledge relevant to the community and unobtainable through other means (Rogoff et al. 483). While my family attended church on Sundays and adhered to the Ten Commandments, they were not overly religious. Regardless, I absorbed those Christian values as a child, and they are an integral part of my moral compass.

During and after school, one’s workplace, be it part-time or full-time, becomes an important agent. While starting a new job, people acquire new knowledge, roles, make new connections, and adapt to the so-called organizational culture (Ellis et al. 301). The process is important to make all employees share a common goal and a sense of belonging to the organization while providing the necessary information to make them successful (Ellis et al. 302). As one’s identity is more or less formed by working-age age, a person may choose an occupation that facilitates their existing identity (Ellis et al. 303). However, some are not so fortunate and have to do a job that conflicts with theirs, which hinders occupational socialization and adaptation (Ellis et al. 303). I have limited experience working part-time, and my organization taught me nothing except discipline, but in the future, a full-time job will surely influence me.

In conclusion, agents of socialization accompany a person throughout their life and help one acquire the values, skills, roles, and knowledge necessary to exist within a social group. The process starts in the family, which provides the foundation, and continues in school and at work while being surrounded by peers, who either facilitate or complicate socialization. Religion can also be an important agent, even if a person is not very religious. In the end, all of them leave their trace and make someone both a unique personality and a member of society.

Branco, Angela Uchoa. “Values, Education and Human Development: The Major Role of Social Interactions’ Quality Within Classroom Cultural Contexts.” Alterity, Values, and Socialization: Human Development Within Educational Contexts , edited by Angela Uchoa Branco and Maria Cláudia Lopes-de-Oliveira, Springer International Publishing, 2018, pp. 31-50.

Bukowski, William M., et al. “Socialization and Experiences with Peers.” Grusec and Hastings, pp. 228-250.

Grusec, Joan E., and Paul D. Hastings, editors. Handbook of Socialization: Theory and Research . New York, The Guilford Press, 2015.

Laible, Deborah, et al. “Early Socialization: The Influence of Close Relationships.” Grusec and Hastings, pp. 35-59.

Pratt, Michael W., and Sam A. Hardy. “Cultivating the Moral Personality: Socialization in the Family and Beyond.” Grusec and Hastings, pp. 661-687.

Rogoff, Barbara, et al. “Children Develop Cultural Repertoires through Engaging in Everyday Routines and Practices.” Grusec and Hastings, pp. 472-498.

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Agents of Socialization (7 Examples + Definitions)

Ever wonder why you think the way you do or why certain norms feel almost second nature to you? You didn't come up with these ideas on your own; they were shaped by the world around you. In this article, you're going to learn about the critical forces that mold your behavior, values, and beliefs from a young age to adulthood.

Agents of socialization are the key institutions, groups, and individuals that influence your development and help you navigate the maze of societal norms, customs, and expectations.

By the end of this read, you'll have a solid grasp on the elements that have shaped who you are and how they work in concert to form the complex structure of society.

What Are the Agents of Socialization?

What exactly are agents of socialization? Simply put, these are the different influences that shape you into the person you are today. They're like the architects of your identity, sketching out the blueprint of how you think, feel, and interact with the world.

The term "socialization" refers to the lifelong process of learning the rules, norms, and values of your community. It's a bit like learning the rules of a game; you can't really play effectively until you understand how it works. Agents of socialization are the "coaches" guiding you through this game of life.

It's not just one or two things that mold you. Multiple agents work together, each contributing a unique piece to the puzzle that is you. Some are more obvious, like your family or school, while others, such as media and religion, work more subtly.

What kind of emotional and practical support a person receives will be influenced by what agents they have in their lives. For instance, parents social class influences children behaviors because it will contribute to how much time and attention the parents can spend with their child.

There are also formal and informal social institutions. Formal social institutions are things like schools and religious institutions. Informal social institutions are things like peer groups, media consumption, and a society's material culture.

Additionally, an agent of socialization can be either a primary or secondary agent.

Primary agents of socialization, like your family, are the early and immediate influencers in your life. They lay down the basics and give you your first sense of identity.

On the other hand, secondary agents of socialization, such as schools and peer groups, come into play as you grow and begin to step out into the world. While primary agents set the foundation, secondary agents add complexity, challenging and building upon the initial values and beliefs you've absorbed.

Let's look at the agents in the general order they appear in your life.

First Agent: Family

Let's start where it all begins: your family. Before you even stepped foot in a school or made your first friend, your family was already shaping your views and behaviors.

Your parents or caregivers teach you the basic skills you need to function. We're talking about fundamental stuff here, like language and basic manners. These are your building blocks, the foundation on which everything else will be built.

It's not just about socializing children learning to say "please" and "thank you," though. Your family instills in you the values, beliefs, and cultural norms that guide your actions throughout your life. The family teaches everything from parental gender norms to how children participate in the family structure and how the age norms established impact the child's role.

This is not to say that your family's influence is set in stone. As you grow, other agents of socialization start coming into the picture. But the family's role remains pivotal. They're your first teachers, and their lessons often stick with you for a lifetime.

Second Agent: Education

After your family has laid the groundwork, the next major player to enter the scene is usually the educational system.

Schools are a type of secondary agent of socialization . While your family focuses on basic values and beliefs, schools introduce you to a broader world. You learn not just math and science but also how to interact with people from different backgrounds.

Teacher expectations, grading systems, and even the hidden curriculum—that is, the unwritten, unofficial lessons that you pick up—play roles in socializing you. The school and classroom rituals are a big part of the socialization process too.

How teachers evaluate students leaves a big impact - are they nice, strict, forgiving? That will teach the child what to expect in the rest of their lives regarding feedback and development.

Hidden curriculum prepares children to understand social norms. How kids act on the playground teach younger children things like gender norms,

Class related behaviors also teach one to uphold gender norms, emphasize obedience, and prepare kids for the "adult world".

Schools teach you about hierarchy, competition, and cooperation. They show you that actions have consequences, like grades or detentions.

So, as you go through the educational system, you’re not just collecting facts and skills. You're picking up social cues and learning how to function in a community. And just like that, another layer gets added to the complex person that is you.

Third Agent: Friends

Your peers are the people around your age who have interests, social positions, or backgrounds similar to yours. Think of peer groups as mirrors that reflect back aspects of yourself, but with a few tweaks and differences thrown in.

Peer group socialization begins as early as children take part in informal institutions. Whether it's daycare or time at the park with other kids, these peer groups provide adolescents with various norms. Who children spend time with and in what social institutions will greatly influence their character.

In many ways, peer groups serve as a testing ground. Your friends provide a space where you can try out new ideas, attitudes, and even identities. This is where you figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Peer pressure is a part of this picture; it can be both positive and negative, pushing you to conform to the group’s norms.

Here's the thing: While families and schools usually aim to socialize you in a structured way, peer groups offer a kind of 'free-form' socialization. There are fewer rules and more room for experimentation.

However, the influence of peers can sometimes conflict with what you've learned from primary agents like family or secondary agents like schools.

Fourth Agent: Media

Now, let’s shift gears to an agent that you might not immediately think of as a socializer: the media. Whether it's the shows you binge-watch, the news you follow, or the social media platforms you scroll through, media plays a subtle but powerful role in shaping your view of the world.

Media literacy is crucial here. This means being able to think critically about what you see and hear in the media .

For instance, how do commercials shape your idea of what's "cool" or "important"? Or how do news outlets influence your opinions? Mass media doesn't just offer stories and products; it sells values, viewpoints, and lifestyles.

While family, schools, and peers are like hands-on coaches in your life, the media is a bit more distant. Its effects can be more subtle, but also far-reaching, affecting not just you but entire societies at large.

A society's material cultures socialize children differently from each other. Material culture refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture and environment. These can range from buildings and artwork to technology and clothing, serving as tangible expressions of a society's values, beliefs, and customs.

A child's behavior patterns profoundly influence what media and material culture they engage with, as does their family, peer groups, and other social context. But what media they have access to depends on where in the world they are.

Swedish children will have different material culture and mass media than Japanese children, for instance. So while the media is a big part of someone's socialization, it is very much an informal teaching mode.

With the average person spending a significant part of their days consuming media of some kind, we see how much of an impact this can have on their development.

Fifth Agent: Religious Institutions

Whether it’s a church, temple, mosque, or any other place of worship, these spaces often provide more than just spiritual guidance. They're like the moral compass on your life's journey, pointing you toward what the community sees as right or wrong.

Religious teachings often offer a set of rules or guidelines. Just like how a school has a syllabus, religious institutions have doctrines or holy books that outline ethical behavior and social norms. These teachings influence how you think about big topics like life, death, and your place in the universe.

The sense of community in these religious spaces is also crucial. They offer a supportive network, not unlike what a family or peer group provides. The primary difference is that this support often comes with an ethical or spiritual framework.

Essentially, it's another layer of socialization, one that can sometimes echo what you've learned at home, or challenge it, enriching your moral and ethical understanding.

Sixth Agent: Workplace

Now that you’ve got a good grasp of how various agents shaped your younger years, let's look at a place where adult socialization commonly happens: the workplace.

The workplace teaches you about hierarchy and the value of teamwork. You learn how to navigate power dynamics and office politics, sort of like an advanced level of the schoolyard, but with paychecks instead of grades.

You also get to experience diversity, meeting and working with people from various backgrounds, which adds different shades to your social palette.

The term " occupational socialization " might sound like jargon, but it simply refers to the way you adapt to the norms and expectations of your workplace. Just like you had to learn how to be a student in school, you have to learn how to be an employee, a manager, or a leader in the world of work.

Seventh Agent: Life Milestones

As we wrap up our exploration of agents of socialization, let's not overlook something crucial: life events and transitions. We're talking about significant events like graduation, marriage, becoming a parent, or even experiencing loss or hardship.

These events force you to adapt and grow, challenging the norms and values you've picked up from other agents of socialization.

For instance, becoming a parent makes you a primary agent of socialization for someone else. You now pass on values and norms, coming full circle in the socialization process.

Other transitions, like entering retirement, shift your role in society and make you reevaluate your self-concept.

While these milestones might seem like an effect of the socialization you've already been through (i.e. choosing to marry or not), they also help mold you moving forward.

The History of Socialization Theories

So, you're interested in how people turn out the way they do. You're not alone! The idea of socialization—how we make children learn to fit into society—has been a hot topic for thinkers, researchers, and even everyday people like parents and teachers for quite a while.

Let's start with Emile Durkheim , a French sociologist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is often credited with laying the groundwork for modern sociology. Durkheim emphasized the role of social institutions like education in fostering social solidarity and shared values.

Other early theories in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, like those by Charles Cooley and George Herbert Mead , further laid the groundwork. They introduced concepts like the " looking-glass self " —which is basically how you see yourself based on how you think others see you.

Erik Erikson , a German-American psychologist active in the mid-20th century, expanded our understanding by introducing the idea of psychosocial stages. Erikson believed that each stage of life comes with its own social and emotional challenges, influencing our personality and behavior.

In the 1960s, Canadian sociologist Erving Goffman introduced the concept of " dramaturgy ," suggesting that social life is like a theatrical performance where we play different roles. This idea touched upon how agents of socialization teach us to perform these roles effectively.

More recently, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, researchers like Patricia Hill Collins have explored how socialization is affected by intersecting factors like race, class, and gender. Collins' work has been pivotal in introducing the idea of intersectionality into socialization theory.

In modern sociology, we recognize that someone's social class, economic class, and gender will all have an impact on what society expects of them, and thus how they are taught to behave. These social factors affect a person's role and character development.

For instance, working class parents will likely send their kids to state run education systems because that's all they can afford. Whereas middle class parents tend to send their children to more specialized institutions. And wealthy parents tend to send their kids to private schools.

Class and other societal factors will impact the adolescent peer influences a child has access to. Organized religion fosters different socialization than someone who comes from a family who isn't religious.

Socialization includes teaching all of the norms that a society expects, and also the ones that a particular family desires. So two children raised in the same town may have wildly different socialization.

That's not to say that everyone is limited by their place in society. But there are sociologists and psychologists who have taken issue with the Agents of Socialization theory.

Challenges to the Agents of Socialization Theory

So far, you've been learning about the generally accepted ideas on agents of socialization. But like any field of study, there are alternative viewpoints that challenge mainstream understanding.

One of these alternative views is individual agency , the idea that you're not just a passive recipient of socialization. Instead, you actively engage with and interpret the messages from these agents.

Another perspective that shakes up traditional ideas is the interactionist approach . This view holds that socialization is a two-way street, with individuals also influencing the agents that are supposed to be shaping them. This approach puts more emphasis on the dynamic, ever-changing nature of the socialization process.

Then there’s cultural relativism , which challenges the idea that the agents of socialization are universal. What might be a significant agent in one culture may not hold the same weight in another. For example, in collectivist societies, the extended family might play a much larger role in socialization than in individualistic societies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) what are agents of socialization.

Agents of socialization are the key influences that help shape our beliefs, values, and behaviors as we grow. These can range from family and school to media and workplace settings.

2) Are agents of socialization the same for everyone?

No, the impact and relevance of different agents can vary from person to person and culture to culture. For instance, religious institutions might play a bigger role in socialization in certain societies compared to others.

3) What is individual agency?

Individual agency is the concept that people are not just passive recipients of socialization. Instead, they actively engage with and interpret the messages they receive from various agents.

4) What is the interactionist approach?

The interactionist approach suggests that socialization is a two-way street. Not only do individuals get influenced by agents like family and schools, but they also influence these agents in return.

5) How do life events affect socialization?

Life events such as marriage, parenthood, or retirement serve as significant milestones that require us to adapt and reshape our understanding of social norms and values.

6) Is media a powerful agent of socialization?

Yes, media can be a subtle but impactful agent that influences our perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors, often in ways we may not immediately recognize.

7) Can workplaces serve as agents of socialization?

Absolutely. Workplaces teach us about hierarchy, teamwork, and expose us to a diversity of opinions and backgrounds. They play a vital role in adult socialization.

8) Do religious institutions only provide spiritual guidance?

No, religious institutions often offer a set of ethical and moral guidelines that influence your behavior and thinking, extending their role beyond mere spiritual guidance.

9) Are there alternative viewpoints to the mainstream understanding of socialization?

Yes, theories like individual agency, interactionist approach, and cultural relativism offer different perspectives that challenge and enrich the mainstream understanding.

10) Why is understanding agents of socialization important?

Recognizing the roles of different agents in shaping your thoughts, actions, and beliefs can provide valuable insights into your own behavior and help you understand the functioning of society as a whole.

You've journeyed through a complex landscape, from the nurturing environment of your family to the larger influences of educational systems, peer groups, media, religious institutions, workplace, and life events.

All of this combines to make you unique, influenced but not dictated by these various threads.

Understanding this complex web is not just academic. It's practical. It gives you insight into why you think the way you do and why society functions as it does. Armed with this understanding, you can become a more informed, empathetic individual.

As you move forward, remember that socialization is an ongoing process. New threads will be added to your tapestry, and old ones might fade, but they all contribute to who you are and how you interact with the world.

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Agents of Socialization

Learning outcomes.

Examine the roles of agents of socialization, such as families, peer groups, and institutional agents

Socialization helps people learn to function successfully in their social worlds. How does the process of socialization occur? How do we learn to use the objects of our society’s material culture? How do we come to adopt the beliefs, values, and norms that represent its nonmaterial culture? This learning takes place through interaction with various agents of socialization, like peer groups and families, plus both formal and informal social institutions.

Agents of Socialization

Social groups often provide the first experiences of socialization. Families, and later peer groups, communicate expectations and reinforce norms. People first learn to use the tangible objects of material culture in these settings, as well as being introduced to the beliefs and values of society.

Family is the first agent of socialization. What constitutes family is also socially constructed and may or may not exclusively refer to blood relatives. Family may include neighbors and/or close friends, but more typically includes parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. These family members teach a child what he or she needs to know. For example, they show the child how to use objects such as clothes, computers, eating utensils, books, or bikes; how to relate to others (some as “family,” others as “friends,” still others as “strangers” or “teachers” or “neighbors”); and how the world works (what is “real” and what is “imagined”). As you are aware, either from your own experience as a child and/or from your role in helping to raise one, socialization includes teaching and learning about an unending array of objects and ideas.

Keep in mind, however, that families do not socialize children in a vacuum. Many social factors affect the way a family raises its children. For example, we can use the sociological imagination to recognize that individual behaviors are affected by the historical period in which they take place. For example, people raised in the 1940s (perhaps your grandparents or great grandparents) did not have televisions in their homes but people raised in the 1950s and 1960s typically did. Today, parents are deciding when to buy their child a cell phone, how much “screen time” they can have in a day, and are using all types of technology to monitor their children, from location tracking apps to Internet filters. Not only are families demonstrating norms related to technology through their own modeling and ongoing process of socialization, but they are also teaching norms and values explicitly.

Sociologists recognize that race, social class, religion, and other factors play an important role in socialization. For example, poor families usually emphasize obedience and conformity when raising their children, while wealthy families emphasize judgment and creativity (National Opinion Research Center 2008). This may occur because working-class parents have less education and often occupy repetitive-task jobs for which it is helpful to be able to follow rules and conform. Wealthy parents tend to have better educations and often work in managerial positions or careers that require creative problem solving, so they teach their children behaviors that are beneficial in these positions. This means children are effectively socialized and raised to take the types of jobs their parents already have, thus reproducing the class system (Kohn 1977). Likewise, children are socialized to abide by gender norms, perceptions of race, and class-related behaviors.

A man is shown standing in front of a sink holding a newborn baby.

In Sweden, for instance, stay-at-home fathers are an accepted part of the social landscape. A government policy provides subsidized time off work—480 days for families with newborns—with the option of the paid leave being shared between mothers and fathers. As one stay-at-home dad says, being home to take care of his baby son “is a real fatherly thing to do. I think that’s very masculine” (Associated Press 2011). Close to 90 percent of Swedish fathers use their paternity leave (about 340,000 dads); on average they take seven weeks per birth (The Economist, 2014). How do U.S. policies—and our society’s expected gender roles—compare? How will Swedish children raised this way be socialized to parental gender norms? How might that be different from parental gender norms in the United States?

Peer Groups

A peer group is made up of people who are similar in age and social status and who share interests. Peer group socialization begins in the earliest years, such as when kids on a playground teach younger children the norms about taking turns, the rules of a game, or how to shoot a basket. As children grow into teenagers, this process continues. Peer groups are important to adolescents in a new way, as they begin to develop an identity separate from their parents and exert independence. Additionally, peer groups provide their own opportunities for socialization since kids usually engage in different types of activities with their peers than they do with their families.

The way peer groups interact has also changed over time with technological advances. Thirty years ago, kids played Nintendo or Sega but they were not “online.” If they wanted to play video games with others, they had to arrange it. Today, kids are playing video games with people from all over the world with a few clicks. Their peer group might include people they have never met outside of video games or social media.

Peer groups provide adolescents’ first major socialization experience outside the realm of their families. Interestingly, studies have shown that although friendships rank high in adolescents’ priorities, this is balanced by parental influence.

Institutional Agents

The social institutions of our culture also inform our socialization. Formal institutions—like schools, workplaces, and the government—teach people how to behave in and navigate these systems. Other institutions, like the media, contribute to socialization by inundating us with messages about norms and expectations.

A female teacher is shown sitting in a chair and reading a picture book to a group of children sitting in front of her.

Most U.S. children spend about seven hours a day, 180 days a year, in school, which makes it hard to deny the importance school has on their socialization (U.S. Department of Education 2004). Students are not in school only to study math, reading, science, and other subjects–the manifest function of this system–schools also serve a latent function in society by socializing children into behaviors like practicing teamwork, following a schedule, and using textbooks.

School and classroom rituals, led by teachers serving as role models and leaders, regularly reinforce what society expects from children. Sociologists describe this aspect of schools as the hidden curriculum , the informal teaching done by schools. For example, in the United States, schools have built a sense of competition into the way grades are awarded and the way teachers evaluate students (Bowles and Gintis 1976). When children participate in a relay race or a math contest, they learn there are winners and losers in society. When children are required to work together on a project, they practice teamwork with other people in cooperative situations. The hidden curriculum prepares children for the adult world. Children learn how to deal with bureaucracy, rules, expectations, waiting their turn, and sitting still for hours during the day. Schools in different cultures socialize children differently in order to prepare them to function well in those cultures. The latent functions of teamwork and dealing with bureaucracy are features of U.S. culture. Schools also have structures in place to reward students for attendance and timeliness and to punish students for absenteeism and lateness. For young children, who are often unable to get themselves to school and rely on their families, this can unfairly punish young students who have little control over when they arrive at school.

Schools also socialize children by teaching them about citizenship and national pride. In the United States, children are taught to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Most districts require classes about U.S. history and geography. As academic understanding of history evolves, textbooks in the United States have been scrutinized and revised to update attitudes toward other cultures as well as perspectives on historical events; thus, children are more effectively socialized to a more inclusive world history than earlier textbooks might have offered. For example, information about the mistreatment of African Americans and Native Americans more accurately reflects those events compared to past textbooks. However, the experience of Latinos, Blacks, and Asian Americans is still neglected in many standard textbooks.

Further Research

Watch this clip of Belissa Escoloedo, Zariya Allen, and Rhiannan McGavin as they present their poem “Somewhere in America” at the 2014 Brave New Voices Poetry Slam. Look for examples of the hidden curriculum in public schools.

Controversial Textbooks

On August 13, 2001, twenty South Korean men gathered in Seoul. Each chopped off one of his own fingers because of textbooks. These men took drastic measures to protest eight middle school textbooks approved by Tokyo for use in Japanese middle schools. According to the Korean government (and other East Asian nations), the textbooks glossed over negative events in Japan’s history at the expense of other Asian countries.

In the early 1900s, Japan was one of Asia’s more aggressive nations. For instance, it held Korea as a colony between 1910 and 1945. Today, Koreans argue that the Japanese are whitewashing that colonial history through these textbooks. One major criticism is that they do not mention that, during World War II, the Japanese forced Korean women into sexual slavery. The textbooks describe the women as having been “drafted” to work, a euphemism that downplays the brutality of what actually occurred. Some Japanese textbooks dismiss an important Korean independence demonstration in 1919 as a “riot.” In reality, Japanese soldiers attacked peaceful demonstrators, leaving roughly 6,000 dead and 15,000 wounded (Crampton 2002).

Although it may seem extreme that people are so enraged about how events are described in a textbook that they would resort to self-dismemberment, the protest affirms that textbooks are a significant tool of socialization in state-run education systems.

The Workplace

Just as children spend much of their day at school, many adults at some point invest a significant amount of time at a place of employment. Although socialized into their culture since birth, workers require new socialization into a workplace, in terms of both material culture (such as how to operate the copy machine) and nonmaterial culture (such as whether it’s okay to speak directly to the boss or how to share the break room refrigerator).

While some religions are informal institutions, here we focus on practices followed by formal institutions. Religion is an important avenue of socialization for many people. The United States is full of synagogues, temples, churches, mosques, and similar religious communities where people gather to worship and learn. Like other institutions, these places teach participants how to interact with the religion’s material culture (like a mezuzah, a prayer rug, or a communion wafer). For some people, important ceremonies related to family structure—like marriage and birth—are connected to religious celebrations. Many religious institutions also uphold gender norms and contribute to their enforcement through socialization. From ceremonial rites of passage that reinforce the family unit to power dynamics that reinforce gender roles, organized religion fosters a shared set of socialized values that are passed on through society.

Mass media distribute impersonal information to a wide audience, via television, newspapers, radio, and the Internet. With the average person spending over four hours a day in front of the television (and children averaging even more screen time), media greatly influence social norms (Roberts, Foehr, and Rideout 2005). People learn about objects of material culture (like new technology and transportation options), as well as nonmaterial culture—what is true (beliefs), what is important (values), and what is expected (norms).

Gender role socialization and animated films

Photo of the cover of Disney's The Little Mermaid movie

Pixar is one of the largest producers of children’s movies in the world and has released large box office draws and hugely popular films such as Toy Story (1995) and its sequels (1999), (2010), and (2019), Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Monsters University (2013), Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dori (2016), Cars (2006) and its sequels (2011) and (2017), The Incredibles (2004) and its sequel (2018), Up (2009), Brave (2012), Inside Out (2015), and Coco (2017), just to name a few.

Disney, Pixar’s parent company, and Pixar were both criticized for not including female leads and in cases in which the star is a female (i.e. Snow White, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast , and Mulan ) for reifying tropes like the princess who needs to be saved by a prince. In some cases, the female lead is captured (Belle in Beauty and the Beast) and mistreated by the male character who becomes a prince, or rendered mute as in The Little Mermaid, or in the case of Mulan , when a female is a war hero (dressed as a male), she is expected to be humble and go back to her domestic duties after the war.

Prior to Brave , Pixar films featured females as supporting characters and love interests. In Up , for example, the only human female character dies within the first ten minutes of the film. For the millions of girls watching Pixar films, there were few strong characters or roles for them to relate to but several recent films have changed and featured female leads. Brave , The Incredibles 2 , Inside Out , and Coco all feature female lead characters. A closer examination of Riley Anderson in Inside Out reveals gendered emotions. Joy, sadness, and disgust are emotions personified by female voices whereas anger and fear are personified by male voices. Is this reifying the gender stereotypes of masculine and feminine emotions?

The Incredibles 2 (2018) features a working mom and a stay-at-home dad, a reversal of traditional gender role norms. Noticeably the mom is the lead in Incredibles 2 and the breadwinner whereas in The Incredibles she was supporting her husband’s efforts to save the world. Mom (Elastigirl) feels guilty for leaving her children to work, Dad (Mr. Incredible) feels overwhelmed and inadequate at times, and the kids are impressed with Mom’s efforts to save the world. Some of the gender role stereotypes from the 2004 film cannot be overcome, though. The name Elasti girl infantilizes a grown woman and some reviewers argued that she is overly sexualized and once again reifying the role of women as sexual objects in film (see New Yorker review of The Incredibles 2 that was shared on Twitter).

Think It Over

Do you think it is important that parents discuss gender roles with their young children, or is gender a topic better left for later? How do parents consider gender norms when buying their children books, movies, and toys? How do you believe they should consider it?
Based on your observations, when are adolescents more likely to listen to their parents or to their peer groups when making decisions? What types of dilemmas lend themselves toward one social agent over another?

Most societies expect parents to socialize children into gender norms. See the controversy surrounding one Canadian couple’s refusal to raise their children with gender roles.

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4.4 Socialization Through the Life Course

Learning objectives.

List the major changes of the life course.
Provide an example of how events during childhood may have a lifelong impact.

As you probably realize by now, most theories and discussions of socialization concern childhood. However, socialization continues throughout the several stages of the life course, most commonly categorized as childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Within each of these categories, scholars further recognize subcategories, such as early adolescence and late adolescence, early adulthood and middle adulthood, and so forth. This section sketches some important aspects of the major life course stages.

Despite increasing recognition of the entire life course, childhood (including infancy) certainly remains the most important stage of most people’s lives for socialization and for the cognitive, emotional, and physiological development that is so crucial during the early years of anyone’s life. We have already discussed what can happen if an infant does not receive “normal” socialization from at least one adult, and feral children are a sad reminder that socialization is necessary to produce an entity that not only looks human but really is human in the larger sense of the word.

Beyond this basic importance of childhood, however, lies an ugly truth. In regard to education, health, and other outcomes, many children do not fare well during childhood. Moreover, how well they do fare often depends on their social location—their social class, their race and ethnicity, and their gender. The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics regularly publishes a report called America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being (including a shorter version in some years). This report provides an annual update of how children are faring on more than three dozen measures. The Forum’s latest report, published in July 2010, provided some disturbing facts about children’s well-being, and it also showed the difference that social location makes for their well-being (Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics, 2010).

In one important finding, only about 55% of children aged 3–5 and not in kindergarten had a family member read to them daily. This figure varied by income level. Only 40% of children in families below the poverty level profited in this way, compared to 64% of children whose families’ incomes were at least twice as high as the poverty level.

About 55% of children aged 3–5 who are not in kindergarten have a family member read to them every day. Social class affects the likelihood of reading to children: only 40% of children in families below the poverty level are read to daily, compared to 64% of children in families with incomes twice the poverty level or higher.

Neeta Lind – IMG_3646 – CC BY 2.0.

In other important findings, about one-fifth of U.S. children lived in poverty in 2008, a figure that rose to more than 30% of African American and Latino children. As well, slightly more than one-fifth of children were in families that sometimes were “food insecure,” meaning they had trouble providing food for at least one family member. More than 40% of households with children in 2007 were characterized by crowded or physically inadequate conditions.

What happens during childhood can have lifelong consequences. Traumatic experiences during childhood—being neglected or abused, witnessing violence, being seriously injured, and so forth—put youngsters at much greater risk for many negative outcomes. They are more likely to commit serious delinquency during adolescence, and, throughout the life course, they are more likely to experience various psychiatric problems, learning disorders, and substance abuse. They are also less likely to graduate high school or attend college, to get married or avoid divorce if they do marry, and to gain and keep a job (Adams, 2010). The separate stages of the life course are really not that separate after all.

Adolescence

As many readers may remember, adolescence can be a very challenging time. Teenagers are no longer mere children, but they are not yet full adults. They want their independence, but parents and teachers keep telling them what to do. Peer pressure during adolescence can be enormous, and tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use become a serious problem for many teens.

These are all social aspects of adolescence, but adolescence also is a time of great biological change—namely, puberty. Puberty obviously has noticeable physiological consequences and, for many adolescents, at least one very important behavioral consequence—sexual activity. But early puberty also seems to have two additional effects: among both boys and girls, it increases the likelihood of delinquency and also the likelihood of becoming a victim of violence (Schreck, Burek, Stewart, & Miller, 2007). These twin consequences are thought to happen for at least two reasons. First, early puberty leads to stress, and stress leads to antisocial behavior (which can also result in violence against the teen committing the behavior). Second, teens experiencing early puberty ( early maturers ) are more likely to hang out with older teens, who tend to be more delinquent because they are older. Because their influence “rubs off,” early maturers get into trouble more often and are again more likely to also become victims of violence.

Romantic relationships, including the desire to be in such a relationship, also matter greatly during adolescence. Wishful thinking, unrequited love, and broken hearts are common. Dating multiple partners is thought to contribute to delinquency and substance abuse, in part because dating occurs at parties and in other unsupervised settings where delinquency and drug use can occur, and in part because the emotional problems sometimes accompanying dating may result in delinquency, drug use, or both (Seffrin, Giordano, Manning, & Longmore, 2009).

As the discussion on childhood suggested, social class, race and ethnicity, and gender continue to affect the experiences of individuals during adolescence. Adolescence can certainly be an interesting stage of the life course, but how we fare during adolescence is often heavily influenced by these three fundamental aspects of our social location.

Adulthood is usually defined as the 18–64 age span. Obviously, 18-year-olds are very different from 64-year-olds, which is why scholars often distinguish young adults from middle-age adults. In a way, many young adults, including most readers of this book, delay entrance into “full” adulthood by going to college after high school and, for some, then continuing to be a student in graduate or professional school. By the time the latter obtain their advanced degree, many are well into their 30s, and they finally enter the labor force full time perhaps a dozen years after people who graduate high school but do not go on to college. These latter individuals may well marry, have children, or both by the time they are 18 or 19, while those who go to college and especially those who get an advanced degree may wait until their late 20s or early to mid-30s to take these significant steps.

Marriage and parenthood are “turning points” in many young adults’ lives that help them to become more settled and to behave better than they might have behaved during adolescence.

Blaise Alleyne – Husband and Wife exit the Church – CC BY-SA 2.0.

One thing is clear from studies of young adulthood: people begin to “settle down” as they leave their teenage years, and their behavior generally improves. At least two reasons account for this improvement. First, as scientists are increasingly recognizing, the teenaged brain is not yet fully mature physiologically. For example, the frontal lobe, the region of the brain that governs reasoning and the ability to consider the consequences of one’s actions, is not yet fully formed, leaving teenagers more impulsive. As the brain matures into the mid- and late 20s, impulsiveness declines and behavior improves (Ruder, 2008).

Second, as sociologists recognize, young adulthood is a time when people’s “stakes” in society and conformity become stronger. Many get married, some have children, and most obtain their first full-time job. These “turning points,” as they are called, instill a sense of responsibility and also increase the costs of misbehavior. If you are married, your spouse might not be very happy to have you go barhopping every weekend night or even more often; if you are employed full time, your employer might not be very happy to have you show up hung over. Marriage and employment as turning points thus help account for the general improvement in behavior that occurs after people reach adulthood (Laub, Sampson, & Sweeten, 2006).

Social class, race and ethnicity, and gender continue to affect how people fare during adulthood. Chapter 8 “Social Stratification” through Chapter 11 “Gender and Gender Inequality” and sections in some subsequent chapters discuss this important but discouraging fact of our social world.

This stage of the life course unofficially begins at age 65. Once again, scholars make finer distinctions—such as “young-old” and “old-old”—because of the many differences between people who are 65 or 66 and those who are 85, 86, or even older. Chapter 12 “Aging and the Elderly” is devoted entirely to this period of the life course. Here we will just indicate that old age can be a fulfilling time of life for some people but one filled with anxiety and problems for other people, with social location (social class, race and ethnicity, and gender) once again often making a considerable difference. These problems are compounded by the negative views and even prejudice that many Americans have toward old age and toward people who are old. Because we all want to be old someday, the discussion of aging and the elderly in Chapter 12 “Aging and the Elderly” should be of special interest.

Key Takeaways

The four stages of the life course are childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Socialization continues throughout all these stages.
What happens during childhood may have lifelong consequences. Traumatic experiences and other negative events during childhood may impair psychological well-being in adolescence and beyond and lead to various behavioral problems.
Social location in society—social class, race and ethnicity, and gender—affects how well people fare during the stages of the life course.

For Your Review

Think of a time some sort of socialization occurred for you since you started college. Write a brief essay in which you discuss the socialization you experienced.
Compared to when you were in high school, has your behavior generally improved, worsened, or stayed about the same? How do you think your behavior might change 10 years from now?

Adams, E. J. (2010). Healing invisible wounds: Why investing in trauma-informed care for children makes sense . Washington, DC: Justice Policy Institute.

America’s children in brief: Key national indicators of well-being, 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Laub, J. H., Sampson, R. J., & Sweeten, G. A. (2006). Assessing Sampson and Laub’s life-course theory of crime. In F. T. Cullen (Ed.), Taking stock: The status of criminological theory (vol. 15, pp. 313–333). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

Ruder, D. B. (2008). The teen brain: A work in progress. Harvard Magazine, 111 (1), 8–10.

Schreck, C. J., Burek, M. W., Stewart, E. A., & Miller, J. M. (2007). Distress and violent victimization among young adolescents. Journal of Research in Crime & Delinquency, 44 (4), 381–405.

Seffrin, P. M., Giordano, P. C., Manning, W. D., & Longmore, M. A. (2009). The influence of dating relationships on friendship networks, identity development, and delinquency. Justice Quarterly, 26 (2), 238–267.

Agents of Socialisation: The Pivotal Roles of Family, Peer Groups, School, and Mass Media

agents of socialization essay conclusion

Table of Contents

Have you ever wondered how you came to understand the world around you and your place within it? The process of socialization , which begins the moment we’re born, is fundamental to our development as individuals and our function within society. But what are the forces that guide this process? In our exploration today, we’re diving into the agents of socialization – the family , peer groups , school , and mass media – and their profound influence on shaping who we become.

Family: The First Classroom of Life

The family is often considered the most important agent of socialization, as it is the first social group a child experiences. It is within the family unit that we first learn about our culture, language, and values.

Values and norms: Family instills the basic values such as sharing, honesty, and respect.
Role models: Parents and siblings serve as early role models , demonstrating behaviors and attitudes that children often emulate.
Cultural heritage: Through family traditions, children learn about their cultural heritage and history.

Impact of family structure and dynamics

Family structure – whether a child is raised in a nuclear family, a single-parent household, or a blended family – can significantly affect the socialization process. Dynamics such as the presence of extended family members or the parenting styles employed also play critical roles.

Peer groups: Socializing beyond the family

As children grow, peer groups become increasingly influential. These are the friendships formed with individuals of a similar age and social status, often within educational settings or neighborhoods.

Conformity and rebellion: Peer groups often establish norms, and members might feel pressure to conform to these standards, which can sometimes lead to rebellion against family or societal expectations.
Identity formation: Interactions with peers allow individuals to develop a sense of self that is distinct from their family.
Learning to socialize: Peers teach each other how to behave in larger social groups and institutions.

Positive and negative influences of peers

Peer groups can offer support, acceptance, and a sense of belonging, but they can also lead to negative behaviors such as bullying, peer pressure, and exclusion.

School: The formal education in society’s norms

Schools are formal agents of socialization that educate children not only academically but also socially. Through the hidden curriculum , schools impart societal norms, values, and roles beyond the official syllabus.

Social roles and rules: Schools teach students about societal expectations and the concept of societal roles through activities like group projects and sports.
Authority and hierarchy: The structure of the school system introduces the idea of authority and hierarchy , preparing students for similar structures in the workplace and society at large.
Cultural norms: Schools often reflect and reinforce the cultural norms of the broader society, contributing to the maintenance of these norms.

Critical thinking and social awareness

Education can foster critical thinking and raise social awareness. Schools can challenge societal norms and encourage pupils to question and understand the world around them.

Mass media: The mirror and molder of society

In today’s digital age, mass media is an omnipresent agent of socialization, influencing our perceptions of reality, norms, and values through various channels such as television, internet, and social media.

Representation matters: The portrayal of different cultures, genders, and lifestyles in the media can both reflect and shape societal attitudes.
Information dissemination: Mass media is a powerful tool for disseminating information and educating the public about events, cultures, and ideologies.
Consumer culture: Advertising and consumer culture presented in mass media influence our buying habits and lifestyle choices.

Media literacy and critical consumption

Understanding the influence of mass media is crucial. Developing media literacy skills can help individuals critically assess and understand media content and its impact on society and themselves.

As we’ve seen, the agents of socialization – family, peer groups, school, and mass media – intertwine to shape our experiences, beliefs, and behaviors. These agents are not isolated; their influences overlap and interconnect to weave the complex tapestry of society. By understanding the roles each agent plays, we can gain insight into our own development and the society in which we live.

What do you think? How have your experiences with these agents of socialization shaped the person you are today? Can you think of any other agents that have had a significant impact on your life?

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Introduction to Sociology

1 Thinking Sociologically

Sociological Methods
Sociology in Everyday Life
Sociology and other Disciplines
In What Way Sociological Looks at Reality
Observe Interpret and Validate Sociological Perspectives

2 Emergence of Sociology and Social Anthropology

Emergence of Sociology
Social and Economic Changes that Swept 19th Century European Society
The Rise of Sociological Theory
Emergence of Social Anthropology
Emergence of Modern Social Anthropology
Pioneers of Social Anthropology

3 Relationship of Sociology with Anthropology

Nature of Sociology and Social Anthropology
Emergence and History of Sociology
Emergence and History of Anthropology
Similarities between Sociology and Anthropology
Differences between Sociology and Anthropology

4 Relationship of Sociology with Psychology

Definition of Sociology
Sociology and Psychology: The Possible Interlink
Social Psychology: Historical Development
Defining Social Psychology
Inter-disciplinary Approach to Social Psychology
Scope of Social Psychology
Your Sociological Tool Kit
Concepts and Methods of Sociology used in Social Psychology
Perspectives in Sociological Social Psychology
Objectives of Research in Social Psychology
Importance of Sociological Social Psychology

5 Relationship of Sociology with History

Defining History
Relationship of Sociology with History
Difference Between Sociology and History
Historical Sociology as Sub-Discipline

6 Relationship of Sociology with Economics

Definition of Economics
Differences between Sociology and Economics
Definitions Given by Different Economist and their Relation to Sociology
Definitions Given by Different Sociologists and their Relation to Economics
Economic Sociology as a Sub-Discipline of Sociology
Common Issues Concerning both Sociology and Economics

7 Relationship of Sociology with Political Science

Definition of Political Science
Shift in the Focus of Political Science
Relationship between Sociology and Political Science
Differentiating between Political Sociology and Sociology of Politics
Political Culture
Political Socialisation
Political Capital

8 Culture and Society

Culture and Biology
Culture Trait and Culture Complex
Characteristics of Culture
Types of Culture: Material and Non-material Culture
Elements of Culture
Culture and Civilization
Cultural Change
Cultural Diversity
Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism
Multiculturalism
Globalisation and Culture
Culture in Indian Context

9 Social Groups and Community

Definitions of Community
Characteristics of Community
Elements of Community Sentiment
Community and Association
Definition of Social Group
Bases of Classification of Groups
Primary and Secondary Groups
Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft
In Group and Out Group
Reference Group
Social Group and Community Differences

10 Associations and Institutions

Meaning and Definition of Association
Main Characteristics of an Association
Defining Institutions
Purpose of Institutions
Types of Institutions
Perspectives on Social Institutions

11 Status and Role

The Concept of Status
Ascribed and Achieved Status
Master Status
The Concept of Role
Role Theory
Classification of Roles
Role Systems: Simple and Complex Societies
Dimensions of Roles

12 Socialisation

Socialisation – Meaning and Definitions
Types of Socialisation
Theories of Socialisation
Agents of Socialisation

13 Structure and Function

From Positivism to Functionalism
The Premises of Functionalism
Functionalism in Social Anthropology: Radcliffe-Brown and Malinowski
Functionalism of Talcott Parsons and Robert K. Merton

14 Social Control and Change

Meaning and Definition of Social Control
Types of Social Control
Agencies of Social Control
Concept and Meaning of Social Change
Approaches to Understanding Social Change
Factors of Social Change
Impact of Social Change

15 Evolutionary Perspective

The Beginning of the Concept of Social Evolution
The Organic Analogy and Biological Theories of Evolution
Theories of Cultural Evolution
Limitation of Classical Evolutionary Theory
Neo-Evolutionary Theories

16 Functionalism

Founders of Functionalism
Later Functionalists

17 Structuralism

Claude Levi-Strauss and Structuralism
The Concept of Culture as Understood by Levi-Strauss
The Structural Analysis of Myths
Ethnography and Structural Analysis
Critical Points of View

18 Conflict Perspective

The Classical Theorists
Modern Conflict Schools
Elite Theory
Recent Trends in Conflict Theory

19 Interpretive Sociology

Meaning and Definition
Differences Between Interpretive and Positivist Sociology
Origins of Interpretive Sociology
Branches of Interpretive Sociology
Limitations of Interpretive Sociology

20 Symbolic Interactionism

George Herbert Mead: Basic Concepts
The Emergence of Symbolic Interactionism
Other Schools of Thought
Erving Goffman and the Dramaturgical Approach
Recent Studies

21 Feminist Perspective

Socio-Historical Background
Liberal Feminism
Radical Feminism
Marxist Feminism
Socialist Feminism
Post Modern and Third Wave Feminism
Multicultural and Postcolonial Feminism

22 Dalit Perspective

Defining Dalits: A Sociological Perspective
Demand for a Different Perspective
Theoretical Rationale of ‘Dalit Perspective’
Defining Dalit Perspective

23 Division of Labour- Durkheim and Marx

Socio-Economic Setting and Meaning of ‘Division of Labour’
Durkheim’s Views on Division of Labour
Marx’s Views on Division of Labour
A Comparison

24 Religion- Durkheim and Weber

Definition of Religion — Beliefs and Rites
Durkheim’s Study of ‘Totemism’
Religion and Science
The Religion of India
The Religion of China
Ancient Judaism
Durkheim and Weber — A Comparison

25 Capitalism- Marx and Weber

Karl Marx on Capitalism
Max Weber on Capitalism
Marx and Weber – A Comparison

26 Social change and transformation

Concept of Social Change and Social Transformation
Theories of Social Change
Rate of Social Change

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Agents of Socialization

Learn the agents of socialization and then general order they typically occur in.
Understand how we are socialized through formal institutions like schools, workplaces, and the government

Socialization Agents

Socialization agents are a combination of social groups and social institutions that provide the first experiences of socialization . Families, early education, peer groups, the workplace, religion, government, and media all communicate expectations and reinforce norms. People first learn to use the tangible objects of material culture in these settings, as well as being introduced to the beliefs and values of society.

Family is the first agent of socialization . Mothers and fathers, siblings and grandparents, plus members of an extended family, all teach a child what he or she needs to know. Familes, of course, come in all sorts of formations. Whether the young child is living with a biological parent, adopted by their parents, or exclusively raised by a sibling or a grandparent, this unit of family is what socializes the young child to the world first.

For example, they show the child how to use objects (such as clothes, computers, eating utensils, books, bikes); how to relate to others (some as “family,” others as “friends,” still others as “strangers” or “teachers” or “neighbors”); and how the world works (what is “real” and what is “imagined”). As you are aware, either from your own experience as a child or from your role in helping to raise one, socialization includes teaching and learning about an unending array of objects and ideas.

The particular values of the family unit are central to the socialization process. If one child is raised in a family where discussion of connections to people from all races, religions, and ethnicities is both valued and practiced, this child is understanding multi-culturalism as a necessary asset in society. Conversely, a child who is raised our discussions and behaviors that explicitly favor their racial or religious group over others, the child learns that multi-culturalism is a problem to be avoided. These two children could be sitting next to each other in the same preschool classroom.

Keep in mind, however, that families do not socialize children in a vacuum. Many social factors affect the way a family raises its children. For example, we can use sociological imagination to recognize that individual behaviors are affected by the historical period in which they take place. Sixty years ago, it would not have been considered especially strict for a father to hit his son with a wooden spoon or a belt if he misbehaved, but today that same action might be considered child abuse.

Sociologists recognize that race, social class, religion, and other societal factors play an important role in socialization. For example, poor families usually emphasize obedience and conformity when raising their children, while wealthy families emphasize judgment and creativity (National Opinion Research Center 2008). This may occur because working-class parents have less education and more repetitive-task jobs for which it is helpful to be able to follow rules and conform. Wealthy parents tend to have better educations and often work in managerial positions or careers that require creative problem solving, so they teach their children behaviors that are beneficial in these positions. This means children are effectively socialized and raised to take the types of jobs their parents already have, thus reproducing the class system (Kohn 1977). Likewise, children are socialized to abide by gender norms, perceptions of race, and class-related behaviors.

First School Experience

The first ‘school’ experience for young children, whether it be day care or pre-school or kindergarten, generally serves as the second socialization agent for young children. Most U.S. children spend about seven hours a day, 180 days a year, in school, which makes it hard to deny the importance school has on their socialization (U.S. Department of Education 2004). Students are not in school only to study math, reading, science, and other subjects—the manifest function of this system. Schools also serve a latent function in society by socializing children into behaviors like practicing teamwork, following a schedule, and using textbooks.

A female teacher is shown sitting in a chair and reading a picture book to a group of children sitting in front of her on the floor.

For example, in the United States, schools have built a sense of competition into the way grades are awarded and the way teachers evaluate students (Bowles and Gintis 1976). When children participate in a relay race or a math contest, they learn there are winners and losers in society. When children are required to work together on a project, they practice teamwork with other people in cooperative situations. The hidden curriculum prepares children for the adult world. Children learn how to deal with bureaucracy, rules, expectations, waiting their turn, and sitting still for hours during the day. Schools in different cultures socialize children differently in order to prepare them to function well in those cultures. The latent functions of teamwork and dealing with bureaucracy are features of U.S. culture.

Schools also socialize children by teaching them about citizenship and national pride. In the United States, children are taught to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Most districts require classes about U.S. history and geography. As the academic understanding of history evolves, textbooks in the United States have been scrutinized and revised to update attitudes toward other cultures as well as perspectives on historical events; thus, children are socialized to a different national or world history than earlier textbooks may have done. For example, information about the mistreatment of African Americans and Native American Indians more accurately reflects

Although it may seem extreme that people are so enraged about how events are described in a textbook that they would resort to dismemberment, the protest affirms that textbooks are a significant tool of socialization in state-run education systems.

Peer Groups

The Workplace

Just as children spend much of their day at school, many U.S. adults at some point invest a significant amount of time at a place of employment. Although socialized into their culture since birth, workers require new socialization into a workplace, in terms of both material culture (such as how to operate the copy machine) and nonmaterial culture (such as whether it’s okay to speak directly to the boss or how to share the refrigerator).

Different jobs require different types of socialization. In the past, many people worked a single job until retirement. Today, the trend is to switch jobs at least once a decade. Between the ages of eighteen and forty-six, the average baby boomer of the younger set held 11.3 different jobs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). This means that people must become socialized to, and socialized by, a variety of work environments. In the past dressing professionally meant wearing dress clothes to help communicate your feelings of respect and importance about the work. Today, in many tech companies dressing in such a way is off-putting. Many startups prefer that their workers wear their ‘everyday’ more casual clothes, bring pets to work, and ideally, blur the line between when they are ‘on’ and work and when they are ‘away’ from work.

Although we do not think about it, many of the rites of passage people go through today are based on age norms established by the government. Individual governments provide facets of socialization for both individuals and groups. To be defined as an “adult” usually means being eighteen years old, the age at which a person becomes legally responsible for him- or herself. And sixty-five years old is the start of “old age” since most people become eligible for senior benefits at that point.

Each time we embark on one of these new categories—senior, adult, taxpayer—we must be socialized into our new role. Seniors must learn the ropes of Medicare, Social Security benefits, and senior shopping discounts. When U.S. males turn eighteen, they must register with the Selective Service System within thirty days to be entered into a database for possible military service. These government dictates mark the points at which we require socialization into a new category.

Mass media distribute impersonal information to a wide audience, via television, newspapers, radio, and the Internet. Media contributes to socialization by inundating us with messages about norms and expectations. With the average person spending over four hours a day in front of the television (and children averaging even more screen time), media greatly influences social norms (Roberts, Foehr, and Rideout 2005). People learn about objects of material culture (like new technology and transportation options), as well as nonmaterial culture—what is true (beliefs), what is important (values), and what is expected (norms).

Pixar is one of the largest producers of children’s movies in the world and has released large box office draws, such as Toy Story , Cars , The Incredibles , and Up . What Pixar has never before produced is a movie with a female lead role. This changed with Pixar’s newest movie Brave , which was released in 2012. Before Brave , women in Pixar served as supporting characters and love interests. In Up , for example, the only human female character dies within the first ten minutes of the film. For the millions of girls watching Pixar films, there are few strong characters or roles for them to relate to. If they do not see possible versions of themselves, they may come to view women as secondary to the lives of men.

The animated films of Pixar’s parent company, Disney, have many female lead roles. Disney is well known for films with female leads, such as Snow White , Cinderella , The Little Mermaid , and Mulan . Many of Disney’s movies star a female, and she is nearly always a princess figure. If she is not a princess to begin with, she typically ends the movie by marrying a prince or, in the case of Mulan, a military general. Although not all “princesses” in Disney movies play a passive role in their lives, they typically find themselves needing to be rescued by a man, and the happy ending they all search for includes marriage.

Alongside this prevalence of princesses, many parents are expressing concern about the culture of princesses that Disney has created. Peggy Orenstein addresses this problem in her popular book, Cinderella Ate My Daughter . Orenstein wonders why every little girl is expected to be a “princess” and why pink has become an all-consuming obsession for many young girls. Another mother wondered what she did wrong when her three-year-old daughter refused to do “nonprincessy” things, including running and jumping. The effects of this princess culture can have negative consequences for girls throughout life. An early emphasis on beauty and sexiness can lead to eating disorders, low self-esteem, and risky sexual behavior among older girls.

Our direct interactions with social groups, like families and peers, teach us how others expect us to behave. Likewise, a society’s formal and informal institutions socialize its population. Schools, workplaces, and the media communicate and reinforce cultural norms and values.

Section Quiz

Associated Press. 2011. “Swedish Dads Swap Work for Child Care.” The Gainesville Sun , October 23. Retrieved January 12, 2012 ( http://www.gainesville.com/article/20111023/wire/111029834?template=printpicart ).

Barnes, Brooks. 2010. “Pixar Removes Its First Female Director.” The New York Times , December 20. Retrieved August 2, 2011 ( http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/first-woman-to-direct-a-pixar-film-is-instead-first-to-be-replaced/?ref=arts ).

Bowles, Samuel, and Herbert Gintis. 1976. Schooling in Capitalistic America: Educational Reforms and the Contradictions of Economic Life . New York: Basic Books.

Crampton, Thomas. 2002. “The Ongoing Battle over Japan’s Textbooks.” New York Times , February 12. Retrieved August 2, 2011 ( http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/12/news/12iht-rtexts_ed3_.html ).

Kohn, Melvin L. 1977. Class and Conformity: A Study in Values . Homewood, IL: Dorsey Press.

National Opinion Research Center. 2007. General Social Surveys, 1972–2006: Cumulative Codebook . Chicago: National Opinion Research Center.

O’Connor, Lydia. 2011. “The Princess Effect: Are Girls Too ‘Tangled’ in Disney’s Fantasy?” Annenberg Digital News , January 26. Retrieved August 2, 2011 ( http://www.neontommy.com/news/2011/01/princess-effect-are-girls-too-tangled-disneys-fantasy ).

Roberts, Donald F., Ulla G. Foehr, and Victoria Rideout. 2005. “Parents, Children, and Media: A Kaiser Family Foundation Survey.” The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved February 14, 2012 ( http://www.kff.org/entmedia/upload/7638.pdf ).

Rose, Steve. 2011. “Studio Ghibli: Leave the Boys Behind.” The Guardian , July 14. Retrieved August 2, 2011. ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/jul/14/studio-ghibli-arrietty-heroines ).

“South Koreans Sever Fingers in Anti-Japan Protest.” 2001. The Telegraph . Retrieved January 31, 2012 ( http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1337272/South-Koreans-sever-fingers-in-anti-Japan-protest.html ).

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2014. “Number of Jobs Held, Labor Market Activity, and Earnings Growth Among the Youngest Baby Boomers.” September 10. Retrieved Oct. 27th, 2012 ( www.bls.gov/nls/nlsfaqs.htm ).

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 2004. “Average Length of School Year and Average Length of School Day, by Selected Characteristics: United States, 2003-04.” Private School Universe Survey (PSS) . Retrieved July 30, 2011 ( http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/tables/table_2004_06.asp ).

“Why Swedish Men take so much Paternity Leave.” 2014. The Economist . Retrieved Oct. 27th, 2014. (http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/07/economist-explains-15)

the informal teaching done in schools that socializes children to societal norms

a group made up of people who are similar in age and social status and who share interests

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Socialization

Thus, in the area of socialization, there has been a steady progression from unidirectional-effects models—first, from parent to child, and then from child to parent—to bidirectional-effects models, and finally to multidirectional-effects models. The latter are more complex, more ecologically valid (e.g., Bronfenbrenner 1979), but more difficult to test empirically (e.g., Peterson and Haan 1999). Nevertheless, it seems reasonable that models of socialization should reflect more sophisticated contextual theoretical approaches. To return to the earlier question: Who are the agents or forces of socialization? According to the best thinkers in the area of socialization, the agents or forces of socialization are legion. They include parents, children, teachers, peers, institutions, the media, and society.

Parents socialize children—but children also socialize parents. Peers, according to Judith Harris's (1995) model of peer group socialization, may socialize children even more so than parents. Likewise, parents' families and friends socialize parents. Furthermore, the media, historical events (e.g., war, famine, industrialization), socioeconomic status, family structure, culture—all of these influence both parents and their children. By leaving these important factors out of our models of socialization, we limit the complexity of our theoretical models and thus our ability to explain important outcomes. Finally, socialization occurs in many different contexts (i.e., at home, in the workplace) as well as over the life-course.

See also: A CCULTURATION ; C HILDHOOD ; G LOBAL C ITIZENSHIP ; M IGRATION ; R ITES OF P ASSAGE ; S YMBOLIC I NTERACTIONISM

Bibliography

Abeykoon, A. T. P. L. (1995). "Sex Preference in South Asia: Sri Lanka an Outlier." Asia-Pacific Population Journal 10:5–16.

Ainsworth, M. D. S. (1989). "Attachments beyond Infancy." American Psychologist 44:709–716.

Ainsworth, M. D. S.; Blehar, M. C.; Waters, E.; and Wall, S. (1978). Patterns of Attachment: A Psychological Study of the Strange Situation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Arnett, J. J. (2000). "Emerging Adulthood." American Psychologist 55:469–480.

Baumrind, D. (1971). "Current Patterns of Parental Authority." Developmental Psychology Monograph 4 (1, Pt. 2):1–103.

Bell, R. Q. (1968). "A Reinterpretation of the Direction of Effects in Studies of Socialization." Psychological Review 75:81–95.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Bugental, D. B., and Goodnow, J. J. (1998). "Socialization Processes." In Social, Emotional, and Personality Development, ed. N. Eisenberg. Vol. 3: Handbook of Child Psychology, 5th edition. New York: Wiley.

Harris, J. R. (1995). "Where Is the Child's Environment? A Group Socialization Theory of Development." Psychological Review 102:458–489.

Human Rights Watch. (1999). Spare the Child: Corporal Punishment in Kenyan Schools. New York: Author.

Khan, M. A., and Khanum, P. A. (2000). "Influence of Son Preference on Contraceptive Use in Bangladesh." Asia-Pacific Population Journal 15:43–56.

Konner, M. (1991). Childhood. Boston: Little, Brown.

Main, M., and Solomon, J. (1990). "Procedure for Identifying Infants as Disorganized/Disoriented during the Ainsworth Strange Situation." In Attachment in the Preschool Years: Theory, Research, and Intervention, ed. M. T. Greenberg, D. Cicchetti, and E. M. Cummings. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Parke, R. D., and Buriel, R. (1998). "Socialization in the Family: Ethnic and Ecological Perspectives." In Social, Emotional, and Personality Development, ed. N. Eisenberg. Vol. 3: Handbook of Child Psychology, 5th edition. New York: Wiley.

Pillemer, K., and McCartney, K., eds. (1991). Parent-Child Relations throughout Life. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Peterson, G. W., and Haan, D. (1999). "Socializing Children and Parents in Families." In Handbook of Marriage and Family, 2nd edition, ed. M. B. Sussman, S. K. Steinmetz, and G. W. Peterson. New York: Plenum.

Peterson, G. W., and Rollins, B. C. (1987). "Parent-Child Socialization." In Handbook of Marriage and the Family, ed. M. B. Sussman and S. K. Steinmetz. New York: Plenum.

Reese, H. W. (1991). "Contextualism and Developmental Psychology." Advances in Child Development and Behavior 23:187–230.

Reese, H. W., and Overton, W. F. (1970). "Models of Development and Theories of Development." In Life-Span Developmental Psychology, ed. L. R. Goulet and P. B. Baltes. New York: Academic Press.

Thomas, A., and Chess, S. (1977). Temperament and Development. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

van IJzendoorn, M. H., and Kroonenberg, P. M. (1988). "Cross-Cultural Patterns of Attachment: A Meta-Analysis of the Strange Situation." Child Development 59:147–156.

Wapner, S. (1993). "Parental Development: A Holistic, Developmental Systems-Oriented Perspective." In Parental Development, ed. J. Demick, K. Bursik, and R. DiBiase. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

HILARY A. ROSE

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Socialization - Other Models Of Socialization
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Agents of Socialization, Essay Example

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While I view all of the agents of socialization listed in assignment No. 02 as being important, I believe education to be the most important. We are born with a blank slate upon which will be written the appropriate roles for one’s culture and one’s society. Some of these lessons are taught informally, usually verbally and through modeling the desired behaviour to be learned. Others are taught formally, in an educational environment. Education is the key to just about everything, beginning with the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. These help people not only to learn more about the roles of the culture into which they are born but also of their society as well as some of the world’s other cultures and societies. One of the functions of education is giving learners the ability to think and to evaluate what they read, see, and hear. Perhaps in their culture or society arranged marriages are the norm. Through reading, their teachers’ instruction, and the internet, they learn that is not the case everywhere; and they decide that they want to—and do—marry for love. As a result of their formal—and even informal—education influence, their beliefs and behaviour have changed. As they progress with their education, individuals will discover that there are a multitude of jobs for which they can train, that their only option is not taking over the family farm as they have been conditioned to believe. They may have a low opinion of themselves, thinking that they cannot do anything else, but with good grades and self-esteem classes, education can also change their self-concept positively.

I believe that the symbolic interactionist theory best supports my answer to question No.

Herbert Blumer is, basically, credited with developing this theory, which he outlined as “a study of group life and conduct” (Nelson, 1998). Blumer had three core principles to his theory; namely, “meaning, language, and thought. These core principles lead to conclusions about the creation of a person’s self and socialization into a larger community” (ibid.). Education, both informal and formal, develop an individual’s knowledge of meaning, language, and thought and thereby aids his or her “socialization into a larger community” (ibid.). As a member of a larger community where interaction will take place with many people, important informal—as well as formal–education will take place thereby influencing and shaping us into who we become. We will need to use our developed thought processes well in order to filter the heterogeneous beliefs and behaviour found in this large society. The hope would be that education prepared us well for discerning positive elements and thereby raise our self-concept.

As stated earlier, babies are born with blank slates, which get written on through informal and formal education every day of their lives. Education develops their ability to make wise choices and seize opportune moments. Furthermore, a good education as, for instance, becoming a cardiologist enables the individual to save lives and to earn an excellent income, which would enable him or her and his or her family to enjoy an enviable lifestyle and to become a bit of a philanthropist. Such a person would be considered to be well socialized into the greater society and have an excellent level of self-esteem. Education also helps us to understand why it is wrong to discriminate against people on the basis of gender, age, race, religion, and appearance.

Now contrast that with someone who has only a public school education and is jobless.

Nelson, L. D. (1998). Herbert Blumer’s Symbolic Interactionism. Retrieved on November 24, 2012, from http://www.colorado.edu/communication/meta-discourses/Papers/App.

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The Impact of Socialization on My Life Essay

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Introduction

My initial socialization, secondary, developmental, anticipatory and occupational socialization, re-socialization, social agents, the impacts of my socialization.

Socialization is a process of acquiring other people’s Ideas and norms providing a person with necessary abilities for building him/herself and for societal participatory. On the other hand socialization may not be normative as “it also describes processes which may or may not affect the reflexive agents, and which may or may not lead to desirable or moral outcomes. Individual views on certain issues, such as race may again be socialized within a society” (Mathews, 2002).

Socialization also prepares an individual for the roles he/she is to play, providing him with the necessary repertoire of habits, beliefs, and values, the appropriate patterns of emotional response and the modes of perception, requisite skills and knowledge. It also provides persistence and culture (Chinoy, 1961).

Conformity to socialization is the way a person tends to have the same behaviors of a group of people he or she is attached to. Conformity and obedience to authority in socialization is responsible in shaping or bringing up a morally upright person. The impacts of this can have diverse influences on a individuals in the ways of his/her living. Therefore this paper is going to discuss on the issues of the impact that my socialization in conformity and obedience to authority and how has affected my life. The paper will also show how these issues influenced my attitudes towards the general ways of life, choice of occupation, and other important aspects in my life. The paper will then conclude by highlighting on how socialization affects individuals.

My first socialization came about when I was still a little kid. I started learning the outlooks, values, and measures needed off me as a member of my family and community. An example of this is when my mother used to guide me in treating other kids as equals and not to show any discriminatory remarks or any other immoral behaviors towards them. These aspects mould me into knowing that it was acceptable and in order to treat the people around me as brothers and sisters. Socialization also taught me to learn from them as they learn from me. In addition these aspects have been permanently put into my conscience as I still have these opinions to date.

My next step in socialization was in relatives, friends in the neighborhoods, friends at school and people who I interacted with directly. This stage comprised of schooling and learning to get conversant to the important behaviors as an individual in a small group of a bigger community.

In growing development wise my socialization comprised of ways of learning behavior in the several organizations and institution I went through that taught me how to develop my skills socially.

My anticipatory socialization on the other hand covered my social rehearsals for the future occupations that I intended to pursue and the societal relationships that would accompany them.

The choice of occupation in regards to socialization has been positive because I have passed through knowledge-based communities which have influenced the right choice of occupation and modeled my occupational requirements as well. In this capacity, and taking into consideration personal preference about profession and occupations there has been an evident enveloping social effects. “Thus, it is necessary to expand the standard view about the process of occupation choice by adding non pecuniary factors, influence of social networks and the role of information and guidance policies” (Chinoy, 1961). My choice of occupation therefore has been affected by socialization which includes family, friends, the society and economic aspects.

This process has had a major impact in my life as it has been responsible for the change of my social status. Re-socialization helped me to shade my previous ways of behaviors and come up with new ones to cope up with the ever changing world. “This again occurs throughout a human beings life cycle. Re-socialization can be an intense experience, with the individual experiencing a sharp break with their past making him or her need to learn and be exposed to radically different norms and values” (Schaefer & Lamm, 1992).

“Agents of socialization are the people and groups that influence our self-concept, emotions, attitudes, and behavior” (Chinoy, 1961). My family and friends have been on the fore front of determining my attitudes in regards to responsibility, choice of religion and determining my occupational goals. They did this through my education which is an important agent responsible for socializing people in specific values and skills in the community. This is also responsible for my choice of occupation as it shapes an individual towards that direction. They also influenced my choice of religion that is an important aspect in socialization as it makes people obedient to authority when they follow certain rules and principles of religion. My friends have also been very influential; this was brought out through peer groupings when we used to contribute to our social characteristics in the process influencing each other. It is also evident that socialization plays a major role in influencing emotions which comprise of romance and lust. These emotions are in turn responsible for marriage especially when love strikes in a social setting. In the event of such marriages the sustenance and child rearing will be based on the instilled social norms which were shaped by socializing.

Socialization has evidently influenced my life in the sense that it helped me conform to authority by being shaped towards the right direction from a young age. This brought me up as a morally upright person and also helped me in the selection of an occupation of choice. The realization of this was brought about by socializing with the right people who instill the right characters in individuals. On the other hand socialization can instill the wrong characters in individuals particularly when they socialize with bad characters. This is highlighted by Zimbardo (2007) who says that a good person can be changed by socialization if he/she is not in conformity with social norms. The author gives an example of “Palestine and Iraq, where young men and women become suicide bombers who were initially good people, (Zimbardo, 2007).

Therefore as shown in this paper, new inspirations are brought about by social influence which are instilled in an individual particularly when they are consistent from a young age. It is also true that social influence does not only support moral uprightness but can also produce bad social habits.

Chinoy, M. (1961). Socialization. New York NY: Oxford University Press.
Mathews, W. (2002). Society and socialization. Journal for socialization community development 24 (2), 62-69.
Schaefer, D., & Lamm, T (1992). Re-socialization. Brisbane, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd.
Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect : Understanding how good people turn evil. New York: Random House.
Divorce: Advantages and Disadvantages
Managing Stress: A Reflection of Personal Experience
The Drug Policy and Criminalization
The Giddings State School Capital Offender Program
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Learning to Ride. Personal Experiences
Group and Individual Thinking: Mob Psychology
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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Cultural Diversity — The Impact of Secondary Agents: Socialization Beyond the Family

The Impact of Secondary Agents: Socialization Beyond The Family

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Education as a secondary agent, peer groups as a secondary agent, the media as a secondary agent, religion as a secondary agent, the workplace as a secondary agent.

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This letter presents a model to address the collaborative effects in multi-agent systems from the perspective of microscopic mechanism. The model utilizes distributed control for robot swarms in traversal applications. Inspired by pedestrian planning dynamics, the model employs three types of forces to regulate the behavior of agents: intrinsic propulsion, interaction among agents, and repulsion from obstacles. These forces are able to balance the convergence, divergence and avoidance effects among agents. Additionally, we present a planning and decision method based on resultant forces to enable real-world deployment of the model. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness on system path optimization in unknown cluttered environments. The sensor data is swiftly digital filtered and the data transmitted is significantly compressed. Consequently, the model has low computation costs and minimal communication loads, thereby promoting environmental adaptability and system scalability.

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Agents of Socialization: Family
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Agents of Socialization

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Sociology Paper 1
The most common agents of socialization are family, school, friends and peer groups, and mass media. However, there are many other factors that also contribute to human socialization. There are two main groups of agents of socialization to divide the different factors: social group agents and institutional agents.
Family as an Agent of Socialization Essay
In most circumstances, the family is the key socializing agent. It is the most crucial socialization agent in a primeval society. The human concept of a family is a group of persons who are linked together by resemblance, consanguinity, and co-residence. In many communities, it is the principal agent for children socialization (Rosenberg 672).
Agents of Socialization Overview and Analysis
Topic: Socialization Words: 881 Pages: 3. Socialization is a process of becoming a member of a social group that accompanies a person throughout their entire life. One acquires the necessary roles, values, and standards as a result. People and institutes that facilitate the process are the agents of socialization, although some, particularly ...
4.3 Agents of Socialization
The Mass Media. The mass media are another agent of socialization. Television shows, movies, popular music, magazines, Web sites, and other aspects of the mass media influence our political views; our tastes in popular culture; our views of women, people of color, and gays; and many other beliefs and practices.
Agents of Socialization (7 Examples
Agents of socialization are the "coaches" guiding you through this game of life. It's not just one or two things that mold you. Multiple agents work together, each contributing a unique piece to the puzzle that is you. Some are more obvious, like your family or school, while others, such as media and religion, work more subtly.
Agents of Socialization: Definition & Examples
Purpose. Examples. Agents of socialization are the people, groups, and social institutions that affect one's self-concept, attitudes, and behaviors. For example, parents, teachers, priests, television personalities, rock stars, etc. Agents of socialization teach people what society expects of them. They tell them what is right and wrong, and ...
5.3 Agents of Socialization
Institutional Agents. The social institutions of our culture also inform our socialization. Formal institutions—like schools, workplaces, and the government—teach people how to behave in and navigate these systems. Other institutions, like the media, contribute to socialization by inundating us with messages about norms and expectations. School
Agents of Socialization
Family. Family is the first agent of socialization. What constitutes family is also socially constructed and may or may not exclusively refer to blood relatives. Family may include neighbors and/or close friends, but more typically includes parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. These family members teach a child what he ...
4.4 Socialization Through the Life Course
The four stages of the life course are childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Socialization continues throughout all these stages. What happens during childhood may have lifelong consequences. Traumatic experiences and other negative events during childhood may impair psychological well-being in adolescence and beyond and lead to ...
Agents of Socialisation: The Pivotal Roles of Family, Peer Groups
This section identifies and explains the major agents of socialisation, such as family, peer groups, school, and mass media, detailing their unique contributions to the socialisation process. It discusses how these agents influence the development of social norms, values, behaviors, and identities from early childhood through adulthood, highlighting the complexity and diversity of socialising ...
Agents of Socialization
Socialization agents are a combination of social groups and social institutions that provide the first experiences of socialization. Families, early education, peer groups, the workplace, religion, government, and media all communicate expectations and reinf orce norms. People first learn to use the tangible objects of material culture in these ...
Socialization
Socialization Conclusion. Thus, in the area of socialization, there has been a steady progression from unidirectional-effects models—first, from parent to child, and then from child to parent—to bidirectional-effects models, and finally to multidirectional-effects models. ... To return to the earlier question: Who are the agents or forces ...
School as an Agent of Socialization Essay
This essay discusses school as an agent of socialization and offers specific examples of how it influences our behaviors, interactions, and the society as a whole. School is vital in determining how we communicate with each other because it introduces us to language/s. Although people are introduced to languages by their parents and/or other ...
Agents of Socialization: Family, Education, Media, and Peer Groups
Education serves as an agent of socialization because it engages students in competition in academic success which helps create a social environment for students to interact in. Our peer group is also important because typically our peers share the same interest which lays foundation for support and socialization amongst the group.
Institutions, Media, Peers and Family as an Agent of Socialization
Conclusion. In conclusion, socialization through family, peers, mass media, and social institutions plays a crucial role in shaping individuals and their interactions within society. The essay has explored how these agents of socialization influence our beliefs, values, behaviors, and perceptions from early childhood through adulthood.
Age and the Agents of Socialization Essay (Critical Writing)
Age and the Agents of Socialization Essay (Critical Writing) Exclusively available on IvyPanda®. The process of socialization is a slow and strong one, with most of the knowledge and prejudices being a result of this process. Knowingly and unknowingly, casually or predominantly, we as a society have laid down certain traditional rules which we ...
An Overview of The Agents of Socialization
The agents of socialization can affect anyone, though any major effects can differ on person based on what agents have a large role in their lives, which also applies to the multiple theories of Sociology and how they may affect the views of socialization. This essay was reviewed by. Dr. Oliver Johnson. More about our Team.
Essay about Agents of Socialization
Agents of socialization are believed to provide the critical information needed for children to function successfully as a member of society. Some examples of such agents are family, neighborhood, schools, peers, religion, sports, the workplace, and especially the mass media. Each agent of socialization is linked to another.
Agents of Socialization, Essay Example
Blumer had three core principles to his theory; namely, "meaning, language, and thought. These core principles lead to conclusions about the creation of a person's self and socialization into a larger community" (ibid.). Education, both informal and formal, develop an individual's knowledge of meaning, language, and thought and thereby ...
The Most Important Agent Of Socialization Sociology Essay
A person learns socialization through agents, which include: the family, the school, the peer group, and the mass media. According to Sociologist Richard Gelles (1990), "The family is the most violent group in society, with the exception of the police and the military.". Nonetheless, the family provides a strong backbone and a reliable ...
Socialization and other essays: An analytical approach
Abstract. Socialization is a process of growth and adaptation where human in the form of biological being is born as an infant child into a group. and during his oncoming growth and aging is ...
The Impact of Socialization on My Life Essay
Conformity to socialization is the way a person tends to have the same behaviors of a group of people he or she is attached to. Conformity and obedience to authority in socialization is responsible in shaping or bringing up a morally upright person. The impacts of this can have diverse influences on a individuals in the ways of his/her living.
Self-Supervised Inference of Agents in Trustless Environments
This is accomplished by utilizing agents capable of data inference and ranking, which can be effectively implemented using LLMs as response classifiers. We assess existing approaches for trustless agent inference, define our methodology, estimate practical parameters, and model various types of malicious agent attacks.
The Impact of Secondary Agents: Socialization Beyond the Family: [Essay
In conclusion, secondary agents in sociology play a crucial role in shaping individuals' socialization processes, beyond the primary socialization provided by the family. Education, peer groups, the media, religion, and the workplace all contribute towards individuals' development of beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors.
Papers with Code
Analyzing over 50,000 posts from hundreds of Mastodon servers, we find that AI-agents effectively detect non-compliant content, grasp linguistic subtleties, and adapt to diverse community contexts. Most agents also show high inter-rater reliability and consistency in score justification and suggestions for compliance.
Papers with Code
Stay informed on the latest trending ML papers with code, research developments, libraries, methods, and datasets. ... Upload an image to customize your repository's social media preview. Images should be at least 640×320px (1280×640px for best display). ... This letter presents a model to address the collaborative effects in multi-agent ...

Agents of Socialization Overview and Analysis

Agents of Socialization (7 Examples + Definitions)

What Are the Agents of Socialization?

First Agent: Family

Second Agent: Education

Third Agent: Friends

Fourth Agent: Media

Fifth Agent: Religious Institutions

Sixth Agent: Workplace

Seventh Agent: Life Milestones

The History of Socialization Theories

Challenges to the Agents of Socialization Theory

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

2) Are agents of socialization the same for everyone?

3) What is individual agency?

4) What is the interactionist approach?

5) How do life events affect socialization?

6) Is media a powerful agent of socialization?

7) Can workplaces serve as agents of socialization?

8) Do religious institutions only provide spiritual guidance?

9) Are there alternative viewpoints to the mainstream understanding of socialization?

10) Why is understanding agents of socialization important?

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Agents of Socialization

Peer Groups

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Gender role socialization and animated films

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4.4 Socialization Through the Life Course

Adolescence

Key Takeaways

For Your Review

Agents of Socialisation: The Pivotal Roles of Family, Peer Groups, School, and Mass Media

Family: The First Classroom of Life

Impact of family structure and dynamics

Peer groups: Socializing beyond the family

Positive and negative influences of peers

School: The formal education in society’s norms

Critical thinking and social awareness

Mass media: The mirror and molder of society

Media literacy and critical consumption

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