AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION

Family
The family represents a child's first emotional tie, and it is
by far the most significant agent of the socialization
process. Infants are entirely reliant on other people to
survive, and the parents assume the role of guiding them to
be able to care for themselves. Parents or guardians
provide children with their initial system of beliefs, norms,
and values and the system are based on their ethnic
community, social status, and religion among other factors.
The system that parents inculcate on children normally has
a profound effect throughout their lives. 
FAMILY
SCHOOLS

 Most children are enrolled in schools for the primary

purpose of acquiring education. The institutions socialize
children in various ways. First, the children are
instructed on a formal curriculum, a system informally
known as reading, writing, and arithmetic.
 Teachers represent the school's authority figures, and
they continually reinforce school values and other
established practices to inculcate obedience. Sociologists
have named this system of enforcing societal values on
children as the hidden curriculum.
SCHOOLS
PEERS

 Peer groups are made up of age mates and those children

who share a similar status. Peer groups enable children
to form bonds on their terms and they learn from each
other without an authority figure present. A peer group
impacts on a person's choice for things like fashion
trends, appearance, relationships, music, drugs and drug
use, sex, and technology. Peers rely on each other for
companionship, emotional support, and fun. However,
peer circles are negatively associated with peer pressure.
This situation occurs when a peer group encourages an
individual to violate societal values.
CONTINUED……
 The influence of peers declines as a person reaches their
20s and 30s particularly if they start a family. This
influence does not ultimately diminish as married
couples, particularly those with young kids, meet, and
socialize.
MASS MEDIA

 The aspects of mass media include television programs,

magazines, radio, websites, music, and movies. These
aspects have been shown to influence an individual's
preferences in popular culture. Sociologists agree that
the extent of the influence of mass media is hard to
measure. Mass media relays impersonal information in a
one-way direction to a passive audience. Commercials
significantly impact our choices of retail products such
as clothing, food, and household items. The media is
always criticized for exposing children and young adults
to negative scenarios.
CONTINUED….
 Mass media empowers its audience by giving them
wider information not only about their particular
territory of residence but also the entire world.