UNIT 13 PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION

 Introduction to Socialization

Overview

• Socialization: The process through which individuals acquire socially approved behaviors, roles, and attitudes.
• Nature vs. Nurture: Debate on whether behavior is determined by genetic factors (Nature) or upbringing and environment (Nurture).
  • Current View: Socialization is influenced by both Nature and Nurture.

Objectives

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

• Understand the meaning of socialization.
• Identify the values needed for effective socialization.
• Differentiate between socialization, deviance, and re-socialization.
• Recognize the key agents of socialization.
• Appreciate the importance of socialization.

1. Meaning of Socialization

• Definition: The process of learning and adopting socially approved behaviors, roles, and attitudes.
• Purpose: Helps individuals integrate into society and function effectively within social contexts.

2. Values Needed for Good Socialization

• Respect: Acknowledging and valuing others' perspectives.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
• Cooperation: Working well with others to achieve common goals.
• Adaptability: Adjusting behavior based on social contexts and feedback.

3. Difference Between Socialization, Deviance, and Re-Socialization

• Socialization: Learning and adopting societal norms and values.
• Deviance: Behavior that deviates from societal norms and expectations.
• Re-Socialization: The process of unlearning old behaviors and learning new ones, often occurring in significant life changes (e.g., entering a new social role, or institutional settings).

4. Agents of Socialization

• Family:
  • Primary agent of socialization.
  • Influences initial behavior patterns and values.
• School:
  • Teaches societal norms and educational content.
  • Promotes social skills and peer interactions.
• Peer Groups:
  • Provide social support and influence behavior outside the family.
  • Important during adolescence for identity formation.
• Media:
  • Shapes perceptions of societal norms and values.
  • Influences through exposure to various social roles and behaviors.

5. Importance of Socialization

• Integration: Helps individuals integrate into society and perform social roles effectively.
• Identity Formation: Contributes to the development of personal and social identity.
• Social Order: Maintains social norms and cohesion within a society.
• Adaptation: Assists individuals in adapting to changing social environments and roles.

Socialization: Overview and Key Points

Definition

• Socialization: The process through which individuals learn to become members of society. It involves acquiring values, beliefs, and norms from various social sources.

Process

• Begins: At birth.
• Ends: At death.
• Includes: Both formal (e.g., education) and informal (e.g., family interactions) education.
• Carried Out By:
  • Parents
  • Teachers
  • Peers
  • Neighbors
  • Educational institutions
  • Religious institutions

Learning Through Socialization

• Values, Beliefs, and Norms:
  • Some are appreciated and embraced.
  • Some may be criticized or not appreciated.

Key Points

• Unwritten Code: Socialization often follows an unwritten code of conduct, not formalized by written rules.
• Imitation: Children learn behaviors by imitating others.
• Behavior Change: A person's behavior can change from good to bad or vice versa based on social influences.
• Cycles: Socialization involves:
  • Mountains: Periods of rapid improvement in social behavior.
  • Plateaus: Periods of stagnation or regression in social behavior.

Fundamental Questions

• Are We Born Social?
  • Inquiry into whether social traits are inherent or acquired.
• Are We Born Unsocial/Antisocial?
  • Examines if antisocial tendencies are inherent.
• Does Socialization Contribute to Social or Antisocial Behavior?
• Investigates the role of socialization in shaping social or antisocial behavior.

FORMS OF SOCIALIZATION 

On the basis of the traits that are reflected through our behavior we can san say that socialization has many forms such as given below.

Socialization and Undesirable Traits

Socialization is the process through which individuals learn to become members of society, acquiring the necessary values, norms, and behaviors. It begins at birth and continues throughout life, influenced by various agents such as family, peers, teachers, and media.

Undesirable Traits

Undesirable traits are those behaviors and attitudes that are generally not liked or appreciated by society. These traits can negatively impact social interactions and the individual’s personal growth.

Examples of Undesirable Traits (Box A)

• Hostility: Showing antagonism or unfriendliness towards others.
• Dishonesty: Lying or being untruthful.
• Irresponsibility: Failing to meet obligations or duties.
• Arrogance: Having an inflated sense of self-importance.
• Selfishness: Prioritizing one’s own needs above others.
• Intolerance: Being unwilling to accept different views or behaviors.
• Aggressiveness: Exhibiting hostile or violent behavior.

Activity to Identify and Reflect on Undesirable Traits

1. Tick the traits from Box A that you possess.
2. Record the bad values that hurt everybody on a plain sheet of paper.
3. Add any additional undesirable values to Box B.
4. In Box C, list the traits you do not possess but would like to learn.

Box C: Traits I Wish to Learn

• Imitation: Learning by observing and copying others.
• Shyness: Being reserved or timid in social situations.
• Attachment Behavior: Forming emotional bonds with others.
• Dependency: Relying on others for support or assistance.

Agents of Socialization

Socialization shapes who we are, influencing our habits, attitudes, and personality. This process involves several key agents:

1. Family
2. Peers
3. School
4. Mass Media

Socialization occurs in two main stages:

• Early Socialization
• Adult Socialization

Early Socialization

• Responsibility: Parents, peers, and schools.
• Phase: Early phase of human life.
• Focus: Learning basic values, norms, and behaviors.

Adult Socialization

• Responsibility: Spouse, workplace, broader community.
• Phase: Begins after marriage, parenthood, and continues into old age.
• Focus: Adapting to new roles and responsibilities.

Agents and Their Roles

1. Family

• Role: Primary agent, provides initial values, norms, and behaviors.
• Influence: Strong emotional bonds, foundational beliefs, and practices.
• Impact: Long-lasting, shapes personality and worldview.

2. Peers

• Role: Offer opportunities for social comparison and learning.
• Influence: Significant during adolescence.
• Impact: Develops social skills, independence, and group norms.

3. School

• Role: Secondary agent, formal education, and social skills.
• Influence: Teaches discipline, responsibility, and social order.
• Impact: Prepares for adult roles and societal expectations.

4. Mass Media

• Role: Provides information and cultural norms.
• Influence: Broad reach, influences perceptions and attitudes.
• Impact: Shapes public opinion, awareness, and global perspectives.

Early Socialization

Early socialization refers to the process by which an individual learns and acquires the values, behaviors, and norms of their society during the initial years of life. This process is influenced by several key agents, including family, peers, school, and mass media.

1. Family

• Definition: A durable association of husband and wife, with or without children, forming the fundamental unit of society.
• Role: Provides for the immediate physical and emotional needs of infants.
• Influence:
  • Position in Family: The child’s position in the family (e.g., firstborn, middle child) can influence the values learned.
  • Size of Family: The number of family members can affect the socialization process.
  • Parental Expectations: The expectations parents have for their children shape their behavior and attitudes.

Key Points

• Home Environment: The home environment significantly influences the development of good social attitudes, determining whether a child becomes social or antisocial.
• Observational Learning: Children learn many behaviors and attitudes by observing their parents. The tone of voice, for instance, can be more impactful than words.
• Neighborhood Influence: Children also learn from their immediate environment and neighborhood.

Agents of Socialization

Socialization shapes our habits, attitudes, and overall personality. Key agents of socialization include family, peers, school, and mass media, each playing a significant role in the early and adult phases of socialization.

Early Socialization

1. Family

• Definition: A fundamental unit in society comprising parents and their children.
• Role: Provides physical and emotional needs, teaches social attitudes, and sets the foundation for social behavior.
• Influence Factors:
• Position in the family (e.g., firstborn, middle child).
• Size of the family.
• Parental expectations.

Adult Socialization

Adult socialization is an ongoing process where individuals continually adapt and learn new roles and norms throughout their lives. It involves the transition and acquisition of new values influenced by life events such as marriage, parenthood, and old age. This process is often referred to as anticipatory socialization.

Key Parameters of Adult Socialization

1. Marriage

   • Definition: A union between a male and a female, legitimizing offspring.
   • Role and Influence:
     • Means of social mobility.
     • Influenced by religion, education, and parental choice.
     • Marks a new status with new roles.
   • Changing Dynamics:
     • Shift towards double-income households.
     • Decline in traditional sex-stereotype roles.
     • Movement towards more equal relationships.

2. Parenthood

   • Transition: Marks a radical change from the "honeymoon" period of marriage.
   • Responsibilities:
     • Constant pressure and no escape, unlike divorce or job changes.
     • Learning from one's parents and advice from other sources.
   • Role of Socialization:
     • Internalized during childhood.
     • Repetition of parents' behaviors and adaptation from other influences.

3. Old Age

• Challenges:
  • Role loss and devaluation.
  • Increased loneliness.
• Preparation: Anticipatory socialization helps individuals adjust to aging and caring for aging parents.

Deviance and Re-Socialization

Socialization is incomplete without addressing the concept of deviance, which refers to the violation of society’s essential norms. Deviance results from bad socialization, where individuals adopt unwanted or negative values instead of the desirable ones. Re-socialization is the process of bringing deviants back into society’s norms and values.

Key Points

• Deviance: Violation of societal norms, leading to antisocial behaviors such as terrorism, cheating, and crime.
• Re-Socialization: Efforts to reintegrate deviants into society by re-educating them on acceptable norms and values.
• Values in Socialization: Includes personal hygiene, maintaining cleanliness, and caring for public property.

Activities for Understanding Deviance and Socialization

1. Public Behavior Activity:

   • Make a list of Do’s and Don’ts for using public toilets, parks, and following traffic rules.
   • Example:
     • Do’s: Clean up after yourself, follow traffic signals, use respectful language.
     • Don’ts: Litter, ignore traffic rules, damage public property.

2. Observation Activity:

   • Observe the interactions between parents and children in a park. Note the differences in behavior and language used by parents.
   • Reflect on how these interactions influence the child’s socialization and the inculcation of good or bad values.

Socialization and Emotional Development

Erik Erikson’s theory emphasizes the importance of meeting physical, emotional, and psychological needs at various stages of development to foster trust, independence, and security. Missteps in this process can lead to issues such as dependency and insecurity.

Socialization Lessons

• Management of Emotions: Learning to handle fear, aggression, attention-seeking, and discipline.
• Cultural Norms: Each culture influences how socialization is managed, and no two individuals are socialized in exactly the same way.

Life Lessons Through Socialization

Unconditional Love: A Story

• Story Summary: A soldier returning from Vietnam wants to bring home a friend who has been severely injured. The parents' initial reaction and the story’s conclusion highlight the importance of compassion and acceptance.

Reflection and Quiz Activity

• Quiz Questions:

  1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
  2. Name three friends who helped you through difficult times.
  3. Name five people who taught you something worthwhile.
  4. Think of a few people who made you feel special.
  5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

• Lesson: The people who make a significant impact on our lives are often those who show care and compassion, rather than those with important credentials or wealth.