SOCIALIZATION

- Socialization is the lifelong process through which individuals learn and

internalize the norms, values, behaviors, and social skills appropriate to their
culture and society.
- This process enables people to function as members of their community,
shaping their identity, beliefs, and behaviors.
- The purpose of socialization is to make sure that the new member of society
will do things in about the same way as they are currently being done.
- It encourages desirable behavior and discourages objectionable acts.

Agents of Socialization
Socialization occurs through various agents.
 family, peers, schools, media, and religious institutions, workplace,
government.

1. Primary Socialization
- This is the first stage of socialization that occurs in early childhood,
primarily within the family.
- It is the foundational stage where individuals learn basic skills, language,
norms, values, and roles.
- Agents: Family members (parents, siblings, grandparents). Examples:
Learning to speak, use utensils, dress oneself, and basic social manners.

Significant Other
These are people in an individual’s life who shape the individual’s self and provide
definitions for other social objects.

2. Secondary Socialization
- This type of socialization occurs later in childhood and continues into
adulthood. It involves learning appropriate behaviors and norms for
specific social settings outside the home, such as schools, workplaces,
and peer groups.
- Agents: Schools, peers, media, religious institutions, workplaces.
 - Examples: Adapting to the school environment, understanding workplace
etiquette, and learning how to behave in public settings.

Social Self
- It refers to the aspect of an individual's identity that emerges from social
interactions and relationships with others.
- It is the self-concept that is shaped by societal influences, cultural norms,
and the feedback we receive from those around us.
- The social self is not a fixed entity; it evolves as we interact with different
people and experience various social contexts throughout our lives.

Social Status
- A socially defined position in a group or in society.
- Status helps us define who and what we are in relation to others within
the same social structure.

Ascribed Status
- A status that is not earned or chosen. It is assigned according to qualities
beyond a person’s control. It is not based on an individual’s abilities,
efforts or accomplishments.
- Example: teenager, young adult

Achieved Status
- A status that is earned or chosen. It is acquired through a person’s direct
effort. It is based on an individual’s abilities, efforts or accomplishments.
- Example: basketball player, actor

Roles
- These are roles that a status or position plays. A single person plays
multiple roles.
- Student -? Role

CONFORMITY
- The act of matching one's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group
norms, expectations, or standards.
 - It reflects how individuals adjust their behavior to fit in with the norms and
rules of their social environment.

Role of CONFORMITY in Socialization

- Conformity helps maintain social order by encouraging people to behave
in predictable and socially acceptable ways.
- Examples:
 Children learn to obey authority figure and share with others
 Dressing according to societal standard
 Following traffic rules,
 Adhering to cultural traditions

DEVIANCE
- Behaviors or actions that violate social norms, including formally enacted
rules (laws) and informal social norms (customs).
- It is not inherently negative, but rather defined by the context and the
reactions of society.

Role of DEVIANCE in Socialization

- Deviance plays a critical role in socialization by challenging established
norms and prompting societies to reevaluate and sometimes change
their standards.
- It can lead to positive social change (e.g., civil rights movements) or
negative consequences (e.g., criminal behavior).
- Examples: Protesting social injustices, skipping school, or breaking laws.

Social Control
- It refers to the methods and strategies used by societies, groups, or
institutions to regulate individual behavior, enforce norms, and maintain
social order.
- Social control operates through formal and informal means, influencing
people to conform to societal expectations.
Types of Social Control
1. Informal Social Control
- Informal social control is exercised through interpersonal interactions,
often involving unwritten, culturally ingrained expectations. It relies on
socialization and peer influence rather than formal rules.
- Agents: Family, friends, peers, community members.
- Examples: gossip, praise, ridicule, and other forms of social feedback
that encourage or discourage behavior.

2. Formal Social Control

- Formal social control involves the use of laws, regulations, and official
institutions to enforce norms and punish deviance. It is deliberate and
institutionalized.
- Agents: Government, police, courts, schools, workplaces, religious
organizations. Examples:
- Legal penalties, fines, imprisonment, official sanctions, and rewards for
compliance.

3. Positive Social Control

- Positive social control involves rewards, incentives, and positive
reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors.
- Examples: Awards, promotions, praise, recognition, and social approval.

4. Negative Social Control

- Negative social control employs punishments, sanctions, or penalties to
discourage undesired behaviors.
- Examples: Fines, imprisonment, social ostracism, and verbal reprimands.

Human Dignity
- Human dignity refers to the inherent worth and respect that every
individual deserves simply by being human. It is a foundational principle
that guides how individuals should be treated within society.
- Socialization teaches individuals the importance of respecting the dignity
of others. Through family, education, religious teachings, and media,
people learn to value themselves and others as equal and deserving of
respect, compassion, and fairness.
 - Examples
 Family: Children are taught to treat others with kindness and
respect, which reinforces the concept of human dignity.
 Schools: Educational settings promote anti -bullying policies and
inclusivity, emphasizing the dignity of all students.

Common Good
- Common good refers to the welfare of the whole community or society,
emphasizing actions and policies that benefit everyone, not just
individuals.
- Socialization helps individuals understand the importance of contributing
to the common good, often teaching values like cooperation, altruism,
and social responsibility. People learn that their actions have
consequences for the broader community, and working towards the
common good ensures a healthier and more harmonious society.
- Examples
 Schools: Group projects, community service, and cooperative
learning activities teach students the value of working together for
a shared purpose.
 Community Organizations: Participation in local community groups
and volunteer activities fosters a sense of responsibility toward
others.

Human Rights
- Human rights refer to the entitlements and freedoms that individuals
possess, which are protected by laws and social norms. These include
civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
- Through socialization, individuals learn about their rights and the rights of
others. Understanding rights fosters a sense of justice and equality,
which helps individuals recognize their own worth and the worth of
others.
- Examples
 Family: Parents and guardians help children understand concepts
of fairness, equality, and personal boundaries.
 Media: Media can play a role in raising awareness about rights
issues, such as gender equality, freedom of speech, and anti-
discrimination.
Theories on the Development of the Self
The Tabula Rasa (by John Locke)
- Each of us is born without a personality.
- Our personalities are a result of our social experience.

The Looking Glass Self (by Charles Horton Cooley)

1. We imagine how we appear to others.
2. Based on their reactions to us, we attempt to determine whether others view
us as we view ourselves.
3. We use our perceptions of how others judge us to develop feelings about
ourselves.

Role – Taking (by George Herbert Mead)

Role taking allows us to anticipate what others expect of us.