Socialization

Socialization

Socialization is the process in which we learn about one's culture and how to live within it. It also involves where the individual enrolls into moral norms, attitudes, values, motives, social roles, language and symbols, in which social and cultural continuity are achieved.

Norms:
The essential values that are put into practice, i.e. specific rules of behavior relative to specific social situations. (e.g. it is generally expected that people wear black at funerals in the UK)

Values:
Defined as widely-accepted beliefs that something is worth while desirable, i.e. a high value is placed on human life. (e.g. determination and commitment are expected values in an excellent student)

Forms of socialization

Sociologists may distinguish six kinds of socialization:

• Reverse socialization
• Developmental socialization
• Primary socialization
• Secondary socialization
• Anticipatory socialization
• Resocialization

Agents of Socialization

Agents of socialization are the people and groups that influence our self-concept, emotions, attitudes, and behavior.

1. The Family. Family is responsible for, among other things, determining one's attitudes toward religion and establishing career goals.
2. The School. The school is the agency responsible for socializing groups of young people in particular skills and values in society.
3. Peer groups. Peers refer to people who are roughly the same age and/or who share other social characteristics (e.g., students in a college class).
4. The Mass Media.
5. Other Agents: Religion, Work Place, The State.

WORKPLACE

• Work affects our identities, "professional socialization".

• The amount of time spend in the workplace is far greater than that spent with/on families and education.

• People described their identities in terms of the work they did.

• Nature of paid employment/socialization process traditionally affect men but more women have entered the labor market.

• "Fordist", workers first time worked on productions and specialized in one particular activity. (Tedious and Repetitive)

• "Post-Fordist", multi-skilled workers. No longer expect a job for life and must continuously update their education and training.

MASS MEDIA

• Media was like a "mirror" reflecting the world as it actually was, giving a "true" picture.

• There are "high culture" (e.g. ballet, opera) and "low culture" (e.g. pop music, football), reflecting and meeting different cultural realms.

• Ability to the working-class to "broaden their horizons".

• "Hyperreality", characterizes the inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from fantasy, especially in technologically advanced postmodern cultures.