Political Socialization

The process of political socialization (PS) has been classically defined as the “learning of social patterns corresponding to [an individual’s] societal position as mediated through various agencies of society” (Hyman, 1959, p. 25). Distinguishing PS from other types of socialization (e.g., ethnic, cultural), this definition still serves as the foundation for the majority of empirical research in this area, despite methodological advances and new attention to previously underresearched aspects of PS. Because it was assumed that PS was relatively stable throughout life, early research focused on analyzing this process during early childhood. However, more recent studies have found that ideas and attitudes acquired during childhood change through emerging adulthood due to multiple factors, such as personality, maturation, and past experiences. Therefore, current research has expanded ...