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7 AGENT OF SOCIALIZATION
byE. Joshua-October 30, 2020

Agents of socialization are groups of people or individuals that train new members of society.
Agents of socialization teach new members the social norms, values, and social skills of the society.

They are mostly people or groups that influence our self-concept, behaviour, and other orientation toward life.

People learn the skills necessary to become proficient members of society by Interacting with different agents
of socialization. 

These agents of socialization include family, peer group, neighbourhood, religious centre, school, mass media,
etc.

Family
This is thought to be the most important agent of socialization. Family is the first group to have a major impact
on us.

The main function of the family is to reproduce society, biologically through procreation and socially
through socialization.
Producing society socially is what makes a family an agent of socialization. Families have strong ties. The
impact of the family is so intense that its influence is lifelong. 

All members of the family (father, mother, siblings, and extended family) all teach a child everything he needs
to know. Children learn to use eating utensils and electrical appliances from their families.
Families provide children with the basic system of norms, values, and social skills. The family provides us
with ideas about who we are and what we deserve out of life.

It is in the family that we begin to think of ourselves as smart or dumb, strong or weak, hard-working or lazy,
good looking or ugly.

These beliefs are usually based on different factors like class and race. 

Sociologist Melvin Kohn pointed out that children are trained according to their parent's workload. 

This can be seen in our society. To illustrate, children from poor backgrounds tend to be obedient while those
from wealthy families tend to be creative.

The reason for this is clear. Poor families are less educated and have repetitious jobs(like clerks) that require
obedience and conformity, thus, they pass this to their young ones. 

Wealthy families, on the other hand, are more educated and have jobs(like managers) that require creativity,
thus, they socialize with their young generation in the same way.

School
Schools represent a conventional and deliberate effort by society to train and socialize its young ones.
Most Children spend one-fourth of their waking hours in school. This underlines the importance of school in
socializing a child. 

Children are registered in school for the fundamental purpose of acquiring education.

Education is the process by which the aggregate social skills, knowledge, values, and norms are transferred
from one generation to another.

School socializes children in different ways. First, children are instructed on the "formal curriculum'–like
math, reading, and writing. 

These formal curricula are certainly part of socialization, and so are the "hidden curricula".

The hidden curriculum is the informal indoctrination of societal norms and values by schools. 

For example, Schools teach your children sportsmanship when they participate in math/English competitions,
even though it is not explicit.

Also, when children are grouped for project work, they learn the values of cooperation and teamwork.

This hidden curriculum of schools is not explicitly stated but they help socialize children for adulthood.

The Neighborhood
A neighbourhood is a geographically localized community within a larger city or town.

A neighbourhood is usually generated through social interaction.

As all parent knows, some neighbourhoods are better for their wards than others. These common-sense
evaluations are derived from sociological research.

Sociologists have also discovered that resident of wealthy neighbourhoods watches out for their children more
than those of poor parents.
Peer Group
Peer groups are groups of people, roughly of the same age, who share similar status and interests. 

Peer groups provide the platform for individuals to learn the prevailing societal norms and values.

These prevailing norms and values may be different from societal and family norms and values.

The influence of the peer group is mostly at its peak during adolescence.

Peer group helps adolescents form relationships on their own without the direct supervision of their parent. 

They help decrease the influence on family and schools.

They build a feeling of self-sufficiency and resistance to individuals.

Peer groups provide perspectives that may be different from the viewpoint of the individual.

Most people used peer groups as reference groups or standards for behaviours. 
Peer influences also extend to behaviour that violates social norms. Peer influences are largely linked to peer
pressure.

Peer pressure is the way and manner by which peer groups influence the behaviour of members.
Peer pressure may be either positive or negative. An undergraduate encouraged by his peers to read his book
provides an example of positive peer pressure.

On the negative side, his peers may encourage him to smoke, drink, or behave rather maverick.

The Workplace
Most employed adults spend most of their time at work.

Workplace socialization emanates because workers need to learn the skill, behaviour, and knowledge of their
workplace. 

Before now, many people worked a single job until they retired. These trends have changed. 

Currently, an average worker spends approximately 5 years on a job.

This means that there is an increasing need for workplace socialization.

The majority of workplace socialization is done through onboarding.

On-boarding (also called organizational socialization) is the process by which new employees are taught the
skill, knowledge, and technique necessary to become proficient workers of the organization. On-boarding
accelerates socialization. 

Mass Media
Mass media like television, radio, newspaper and the internet are some of the most powerful agents of
socialization.

Mass media distribute impersonal information to a large audience.

If the internet, television, and cell were once considered a luxury, then the trends have changed as it has now
become a necessity for many people. 

According to Gonalez “mass media- newspapers, magazines, comic books, movies and especially television
presented a very different form of Socialization than any other, because they offer no opportunity for
interaction. Televisions are an influence on children from a very young age and effect their cognitive and
social development. Television is the medium with the greatest socialization effect surpassing all the other
media by far its influence on the young child”.

To emphasize the importance of mass media, some studies have revealed that humans spend at least four hours
on television daily.

And that is just only television! The internet is not included 😌.

The extent of the mass media influence cannot be exactly measured.

Most popular culture is, in part, molded by mass media. 

People's behaviour and lifestyle are shaped by what they see, and hear on mass media.

For example, people who watched violent movies on television are more likely to behave aggressively than
others who do not (according to some studies). 

This attests to the growing impact of mass media.

RELATED POST

 What is culture? types and characteristics of culture

 3 sociological theoretical perspective
 Social groups: Primary, secondary, in-group and out-group group
Religion

Religion is a collection of belief systems and worldviews that connect humanity to spirituality and moral
values.

Religion institutions influence our ideas about what is right and wrong.
The significance of religion extends to many areas of our lives.

Religion institution teaches us ideas of what kinds of dress, speech, behaviour, manners are appreciated for
formal occasions.

There you have it! You should be able to explain each agent of socialization now. 

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Mass media

. MediaMass media includes TV, the Internet, radio, magazines, books, and more. It
is an increasingly important agent of socialization in the lives of many people, but it
may be particularly impactful in the lives of children. As with all agents of
socialization, media can have many positive benefits, such as:

 Broadening one's cultural horizons

 Allowing individuals to connect with friends and family
 Giving people access to information they may not otherwise have had

Mass media can be a positive or negative agent of socialization.

All of these things can help children understand the world around them and can
make media a positive kind of socialization. However, mass media comes with risks
too. These include:

 The potential to expose children to violent or sexual material

 Media bias, which can reinforce harmful stereotypes about gender, race, and more
 A potential reduction in in-person socialization in favor of online interactions
 The potential for unsafe online interactions and socialization

Family:
The family is the first social institution that a learner comes into contact with
immediately after birth. In the way of socialization, the most valuable
connections are between a child and his/her parents and siblings. The family
socializes children through the following ways:
 They learn and acquire a language which is important for communication.
  They learn that they are members of a group where each member is important
for survival.
 They learn the position they occupy and its expectations.
 They learn about the hierarchy of authority and recognize it, e.g. they learn to
obey and respect older people and parents.
 They learn accepted values, etiquette, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors which
form the basis of their moral behavior.
 They learn how to relate with other people either within the family or outside
it.
 They learn about their role in the family and the wider society.
 They learn activities such as sharing, co-operating, healthy competition,
leadership, and being led.
 They learn how to choose the right people to associate with.
 They learn to respect property.
 They learn hygiene, self-protection, good grooming, and loving others.
 They learn to accept themselves as girls and boys.
 They learn loyalty to the family and nation.
 They learn their gender role.
 They learn religion.
Peer Groups:
Other than parents and schools, peer groups play very significant roles in the
socialization process. Peer groups refer to groups whose members are more
or less of the same sex, age, and rank. E.g. Pupils in a classroom form
friendships as a peer group. Next to the family, peer groups are the most
powerful socialization agent force in society.
Sometimes, the impact of the peer group, be it negative or positive, can be as
powerful as that of parents. The peer group may spread trending societal
values or develop new and distinct cultures of its own with unique values.
The peer group socializes children through the following ways:

 In a peer group, children learn group loyalty. The peers form strong bonds of
friendship. The bonds can be so strong that they can lead to disregard to
authority.
 They also learn to share information – a lot of information is shared through
peer groups. This is because the members of a peer group are usually very free
with each other. E.g. it is possible for learners to learn about sex and sexual
reproduction through peers.
 They also learn to identify with the various gender roles. This is because peer
groups are usually single-sex oriented.
 Children in peer groups learn to accept and accommodate others who have
different values and views from their families.
Neighborhoods (the community):
A community is a group of people with a common culture living together for
a common purpose. Examples of communities are a school, village, ethnic
group, nation, etc. The community socializes children through the following
ways:

 It gives guidance on roles and social responsibilities to young people.

 It helps young people to learn how to interact with others in the community.
Kin Group:
Kin group is also one of the agents of socialization. The group of individuals
with socially accepted ties or bonds based on fictional as well as actual
ancestral, genealogical, and cultural origin is called kin group. The kin group
socializes individuals through the following ways:

 The individuals learn how to interact with members of the kin group and wider
community.
 They learn to respect the elders and love juniors through kin group relations.
 They learn activities such as sharing, co-operating, healthy competition, etc.
 They learn the position they occupy in the kin group and play roles such as
care, help and seek and offer advice when needed.
 They realize that they have a wider connection and learn the importance of
unity.
Marriage:
Marriage is a socially approved union that unites two or more individuals as
spouses. Implicit in this union is that there will be sexual relations,
procreation, and permanence in the relationship. The marriage socializes
individuals through the following ways:

 The spouse (couples) know for whom they are economically and socially
responsible.
 The spouse learns the economic role as parents.
 Helps them to understand and compromise situations in life.
 Marriage helps people know the importance of inheritance.
 Marriage also makes people aware of sexual behavior as not just fun but for
fulfilling biological and psychological needs.
Formal Agents of Socialization
The formal agents of socialization include educational institutions, mass
media, political institutions, religious institutions, and workplaces, etc.
Educational Institution:
In modern societies, besides the child’s parents, there are other agents of
socialization such as day-care centers, nurseries, and kindergarten, as well as
schools and universities. It seems that these various agents of socialization
have partially taken over the function of the parents, particularly in modern
societies, where women are increasingly leaving their traditional home-based
responsibilities by engaging in employment outside the home.

The school represents a formal and conscious effort by society to socialize its
young ones. The educational institution (school) socializes children through
the following ways:

 Learners learn to behave in an acceptable manner through class rules which

are important in a society.
 Learners learn to behave in a socially acceptable way through school rules and
the role modeling of teachers.
 Learners learn how to play their roles and carry out their duties in the school.
 Learners learn how to identify themselves with the school and be proud of it
through the school motto and traditions.
 Learners learn how to relate with others in their various statuses, e.g.
classmates, housemates, club mates, prefects, teachers, non-teaching staff, etc.
 Learners acquire academic comradeship through school.
 Learners learn how to accept and appreciate those who are better than them or
worse than them. This helps them to accept their weaknesses and strengths in
their society.
 Learners with leadership skills are identified and nurtured in schools.
 Learners learn and practice social values such as sharing, competing, and
cooperation.
The Mass Media:
The mass media such as television, radio, movies, videos, tapes, books,
magazines, and newspapers are also important agents of socialization. Studies
show that the most crucial effect on children comes from television. The
effects are both negative and positive.
The negative impact seems to be greater than parents and other concerned
bodies worry about the way television is socializing children. For example,
studies show that watching violence o television can encourage aggressive
behavior in children. The mass media socializes individuals through the
following ways:
  People get to know about current fashion and entertainment e.g. songs and
movies all over the world through mass media.
 People identify themselves with actors and other celebrities through mass
media.
 They copy the way of dressing, talking, or celebrities they see in mass media.
 Through mass media, foreign influence has an effect on Nepali culture.
Political Institution (the state) such as political party:
The State is an authoritarian agency. It makes law for the people and lays
down the modes of conduct expected of them. Similarly, political parties
compete to gain political power and maintain it. They try to win the support
of the members of society based on socio-economic policy and programs. In
this process, they disseminate political values and norms and socialize
citizens. The political parties socialize the citizen for stability and change of
the political system.

Religious Institution:
Many families identify themselves with a religious group. Therefore, children
are introduced to religion at a very early age. The religious institution
socializes children through the following ways:

 They have moral codes which guide people in their relationship.

 Children learn social responsibilities e.g. sharing with and looking after the
weak or poor.
 Children learn how to love one another through religious organizations.
Workplace or Occupation:
The workplace is a major agent of socialization for adults. In the workplace
i.e. occupational world, the Individual finds him/herself with new shared
interests and goals. He/she makes adjustments with the job position and at the
same is work time makes adjustments with other workers.

For an individual, work is not only the source of income but also his/her
identity and status within society as a whole. The workplace socializes
individuals through the following ways:

 The individual (adults) learns to make career choices.

 Some adults engage in anticipatory socialization, learning to play a role before
actually entering into it and undertake training while some decide to carry on
their parental occupations.
  The individual enters into relations of cooperation, specialization of tasks, and
the nature of class divisions.
 They learn to perform work-related roles.
 They learn not only skills but also matching attitudes and values.
 As an employee, they learn to respect the authority and follow workplace
norms and social norms at large.
 They learn to unwillingly adjust to the unpleasant aspects of their job.
 In the course of time, the individuals learn that the job becomes an
indispensable part of the person’s self-identity and therefore remains
committed.
Kin Group:
Kin group is also one of the agents of socialization. The group of individuals
with socially accepted ties or bonds based on fictional as well as actual
ancestral, genealogical, and cultural origin is called kin group. The kin group
socializes individuals through the following ways:

 The individuals learn how to interact with members of the kin group and wider
community.
 They learn to respect the elders and love juniors through kin group relations.
 They learn activities such as sharing, co-operating, healthy competition, etc.
 They learn the position they occupy in the kin group and play roles such as
care, help and seek and offer advice when needed.
 They realize that they have a wider connection and learn the importance of
unity.
Marriage:
Marriage is a socially approved union that unites two or more individuals as
spouses. Implicit in this union is that there will be sexual relations,
procreation, and permanence in the relationship. The marriage socializes
individuals through the following ways:

 The spouse (couples) know for whom they are economically and socially
responsible.
 The spouse learns the economic role as parents.
 Helps them to understand and compromise situations in life.
 Marriage helps people know the importance of inheritance.
 Marriage also makes people aware of sexual behavior as not just fun but for
fulfilling biological and psychological needs.
Formal Agents of Socialization
The formal agents of socialization include educational institutions, mass
media, political institutions, religious institutions, and workplaces, etc.
Agents of Socialization
An agent of socialization is any person or institution that shapes a person’s
values, attitude, and behavior. Socialization agents help individuals get into
the overall activities of their society.

These agencies or agents may be formal or informal. The most significant

socializing agencies are the family, peer relationships, schools,
neighborhoods (the community), the mass media, etc.

Here, we understand the agents of socialization as formal and informal

agents.

Informal Agents of Socialization

The informal agents of socialization include family, peer groups,
neighborhoods, kin groups, and marriage.

Family:
The family is the first social institution that a learner comes into contact with
immediately after birth. In the way of socialization, the most valuable
connections are between a child and his/her parents and siblings. The family
socializes children through the following ways:
 They learn and acquire a language which is important for communication.
 They learn that they are members of a group where each member is important
for survival.
 They learn the position they occupy and its expectations.
 They learn about the hierarchy of authority and recognize it, e.g. they learn to
obey and respect older people and parents.
 They learn accepted values, etiquette, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors which
form the basis of their moral behavior.
 They learn how to relate with other people either within the family or outside
it.
 They learn about their role in the family and the wider society.
 They learn activities such as sharing, co-operating, healthy competition,
leadership, and being led.
 They learn how to choose the right people to associate with.
 They learn to respect property.
 They learn hygiene, self-protection, good grooming, and loving others.
 They learn to accept themselves as girls and boys.
 They learn loyalty to the family and nation.
  They learn their gender role.
 They learn religion.
Peer Groups:
Other than parents and schools, peer groups play very significant roles in the
socialization process. Peer groups refer to groups whose members are more
or less of the same sex, age, and rank. E.g. Pupils in a classroom form
friendships as a peer group. Next to the family, peer groups are the most
powerful socialization agent force in society.
Sometimes, the impact of the peer group, be it negative or positive, can be as
powerful as that of parents. The peer group may spread trending societal
values or develop new and distinct cultures of its own with unique values.
The peer group socializes children through the following ways:

 In a peer group, children learn group loyalty. The peers form strong bonds of
friendship. The bonds can be so strong that they can lead to disregard to
authority.
 They also learn to share information – a lot of information is shared through
peer groups. This is because the members of a peer group are usually very free
with each other. E.g. it is possible for learners to learn about sex and sexual
reproduction through peers.
 They also learn to identify with the various gender roles. This is because peer
groups are usually single-sex oriented.
 Children in peer groups learn to accept and accommodate others who have
different values and views from their families.
Neighborhoods (the community):
A community is a group of people with a common culture living together for
a common purpose. Examples of communities are a school, village, ethnic
group, nation, etc. The community socializes children through the following
ways:

 They have moral codes which guide people in their relationship.

 Children learn social responsibilities e.g. sharing with and looking after the
weak or poor.
 Children learn how to love one another through religious organizations.