short note on Agents of socialization (2013)

Socialization : it may be defined as internalization of norms, values and standards

Introduction: socialization is an a continuous,life long process.in this process,people adopt the standards, rules and values designed by the members of the society.basically,it has two aspects.foremost, an individual internalizes the practices and rules of the society to such a degree that its regulation does not requires an external agency. This implies, that the standards become a part of his personality. The second aspect of socialization is that people tend to follow the practices due to their innate desire to be respected and approved in the society. therefore, they follow acts which earns them a good reputation and they come up to the expectations of others.

Agents of socialization
Family: every individual is born into some family and every family has some prevalent rituals, rites, beliefs and traditions. The young individuals adopt the norms and practices followed by the older members of their family. As the biological being is transformed into a social being, he adheres more and more to his family norms. according to psychologists and sociologists, an individual is basically what his family is.

Peer: peer refers to the group with which an individual shares some common characteristics, ethnicity ,age etc.more frequently, age is the basis of peer groups. Young individuals tend to become each others peer as they are united by the youth culture. Many psychologists view it to be the second most important agewnt of socialization. whereas some others give it the prime importance particularly in case of orphans and homeless individuals. Peer group is usually used for the exachange of informal information relating to sex, drugs, jokes etc.

Educational institutions: educational institutions serve as an important agent of socialization where a formal environment is used to impart an academic curriculum knowledge.however, apart from the academic information, such institutions also provide informal information about ethics, morality, etc.

Community: as a number of individuals spent a large part of their time outside their homes, therefore community too acts as the agent of socialization for them tis includes market places, welfare homes,religious institutions.workplace, too is a part of the community and has a huge impact on an individual internalization of norms.

Mass media : diverse technologies used to provide information to the mass by employing mass communication is called mass media. It includes newspapers, electronic media, and social media .its importance in recent times has increased to an unprecedented level. Some believe, media is as important as economy.mass media has revolutionized the base of information sharing and has a huge imact on individuals as an agency of socialization

Critical analysis: socialization is an ongoing,life long process of adoption of socially approved norms and values. Many agents of the society are the determinants of this process, primarily, family and peer. In addition, educational instituitions and community too act as major players in this process. in recent times, media has also become a major agent.