The Types, Agents and Importance of Socialization (2)
Socialization is primarily a process by which culture is transmitted to the younger generation and men learn the rules and practices of social groups to which they belong. As human being we need to get socialized in order to know how to relate with people within our social group and other social groups. Socialization inculcates an individual with habits, attitudes, values, norms, beliefs of the social group into which an individual is been born. Socialization is a life-long process, socialization occurs during childhood and adolescence, it also continues in middle and adult age. Socialization of adults differ from childhood socialization. Personality do not ready-made, the process that transforms a child into a reasonably respectable human being is a long process. It can be said that there are various types of socialization. We have;
Primary Socialization: It is a process by which the infant learns language and cognitive skills, internalizes norms and values.
Secondary Socialization: it refers to the social training received by the child in institutional or formal settings and continues throughout the rest of child's life.
Adult Socialization: Adult socialization teaches people to take on new duties, the aim of adult socialization is to bring change in the views of the individual.
Anticipatory Socialization: It refers to a process by which men learn the culture of a group with the anticipation of joining that group.
Re-Socialization: Re-Socialization refers to the process of discarding former behaviour patterns and accepting new ones as part of a transition in one's life.
Socialization can be either be positive or negative depending on the impact the types of socialization leaves on an individual, an individual trying to get socialized can be influenced in a positive way or negative way by the agents of socialization. For example, a teen trying to get socialized can be influenced either in positive or negative way as a result of peer pressure.
Specific four (4) groups called "Agents of Socialization" carry out socialization. They represent and act on behalf of the larger society, though socialization can occur outside these agents.
1. Family: The family is the earliest and without question the most influential agent of socialization. It grabs the child at birth, when the child is most helpless and dependent and does not let go for a whole lifetime. Socialization via the family goes from cradle to grave. Socialization in the family is important and influential because it teaches language abilities, body control, emotional control, rules of public conduct and moral values.
2. Peer Groups: Peers are defined as equals, individuals who are usually of the same gender, age, and social status and who share interests. Experiences with peers enable children to acquire a wide range of skills, attitudes, and roles that influence their adaptation throughout life. They are often preferred to other socializing agents, and they influence not only social development, but cognitive and psychological development as well.
3. Mass media: This is another agent that our parents are understandably concerned about. As with our peers, we often learn things through mass media that out parents would probably rather we didn't. Mass media cover a wide range of means of communication, information and entertainment, such as books, music, newspapers and magazines, radio, television, the internet as well as video games.
4. The Community: Community is a group of people living in the same geographical area under common laws. The communities in which the children live have a strong socialization influence on them. The members of a community have expectations of how those who join their community should behave, thus, they ensure that those who join then learn the behavioural patterns expected of them. Communities can provide informal or formal support for families since both are agents of socialization.
Socialization has many importance in our life that can hardly be exaggerated.
Socialization Converts Man, The Biological Being Into Man, The Social Being: Man is not born social; He becomes social by virtue of the process of socialization.
Socialization Contributes To The Development Of Personality: Personality is a product of society. In the absence of groups or society, no man can develop a personality of his own, socialization shapes and moulds personality. Socialization contributes to the stability of the social order, it is through the process of socialization that every new generation is trained acceding to the cultural goals, ideas and expectations of a society.
Socialization Provides The Knowledge of Skills: Socialization is a way of training the newborn individual in certain skills, which are required to lead a normal social life. These skills help the individual to play economic, professional, educational, religious and political roles in his latter life. Socialization helps to develop right aspirations in life.
