MACRO AND MINI SOCIOLOGY

Socialization
What is Socialization?
Socialization encumbers teaching and learning of norms, values and beliefs of people from any place in society. They could be part of any religion and any type of education. Socialization is about emotions, morality, gender roles and gender messages from our families encrusted since birth, gender messages from the media and our friends. It is how we act, without evening realizing it, in the society we are raised in. Hence, depending on where one is raised makes the difference in values, norms and life experiences. Our character is formed by socialization agents but, transforms throughout the course of life because, humans are not robots. What are the primary agents of socialization?

The family is one primary agent of socialization and the most important. Plays an important part in all kinds of cultures and ethnicities. The family nucleus raises their members by inculcating their specific norms and values, with the expected results that its members will better adapt to their society. Teaching them to socialize, integrate and be unique individuals in society. Yet, there are other institutions that play a role in the socialization of its family members such as children. Among them are day cares and, social activity clubs and summer camps just to name a few.

Schools are another agent of socialization. Not only do schools teach children academic curriculum but also things a parent cannot see in an academic agenda. Since family life has changed so much during the years because both parents have to work in order to pay the bills and provide for the family teachers have taken part not only academically but in issues of discipline and self respect. Learning these values will not only make them better persons but will prepare them for what they will encounter in the real world such as their first job. The neighborhood that a child grows up is considered an important agent of socialization as well. Since there are good neighborhoods to be raised in and not so good ones. Consideration should be taken that a person raised with supervision compared to one that is not will have an effect on certain values, morals, self view and social integration. Religion, another socialization agent. Even if a family is not religious the fact that it has some type of faith helps to raise children with perhaps higher moral values. They may not partake into fashion trends such as ones that some teenagers wear exposing certain body parts. Religion also helps in making right moral choices especially with peer pressure in adolescents and bullying. Day care is considered a socializing agent because now parents have to go to work to provide for their children. Leaving children obligated to attend daycares.

Daycares offer a variety of socialization activities that enhance what they are taught at home, or not for parent’s lack of time. But, there are negative aspects to placing children in daycare at too early of an age. Findings suggest that there are children that attend daycare too early will have problems of socialization in getting their emotional needs met due to many hours away from their mother and father. Peer Groups are the second most important socializing agent after family. A peer group is in my opinion a form of having members of society approve of one. If you are liked the results are great but, if you are not then the only way to survive is conformity. Peer groups sort of set the rules in life. Describe the process (es) of socialization across the life course.

The socialization process across life course is divided into several groups. First, childhood. Childhood is from birth to twelve years of age. Adolescence is from thirteen years to seventeen years of age. They have their own individual styles. Transitional adulthood is from eighteen years of age until twenty nine years of age. At this stage adult responsibilities are put on hold due to the priority of getting a higher education. Middle years are divided into two sectors, early middle years which are from thirty years old until forty- nine years of age and later middle years, which are from age fifty years of age up until sixty five years of age. And lastly, later older years which is from sixty five years of age and forward. How can socialization differ by sex and cultural background?

Gender is how people conform to social roles of being female or male. It can differ in that females will play with other girls using dolls, strollers and toys which society has deemed proper for female children to play with. The same would apply to males they would play with other boys using trucks, GI Joe, and airplanes. There is uniformity among different cultural backgrounds in gender-role behavior. Usually the male will be expected to be assertive, independent and definitely very competitive, especially in sports. Females should be sensitive and always supportive of their partner and family. But, this has changed not only in the United States but in many other countries. Depending on the culture parents educate their female and male children differently.

In the United States African American families are not strict in relation to different genders, but Mexican American families show being stricter in applying the gender roles. The female is to do female things and the male is to do male things. Hispanics also tend to raise their children differently regarding socialization of their children. Perhaps it is the way the grandparents brought up their daughters, so it continues from generation to generation, and if they were to defy modern times it would not be accepted in their society or hearsay would be heard amongst the neighbors.