Socialization Theory

Organizational socialization refers to the process by which an individual comes to appreciate and acquire social knowledge and skills essential for assuming an organizational role, namely what is required to be a public relations professional. Through organizational socialization, people learn the ropes by (a) developing work skills and abilities, (b) acquiring appropriate role behaviors, and (c) adjusting to the workgroup's values and norms.

Fredric M. Jablin in 1987 pioneered the communication theory of organizational socialization to explain the development process by which an individual learns the value system, norms, and required behaviors of an organization. His view of the process features four stages: anticipatory socialization, encounter, metamorphosis, and exit. Anticipatory socialization is the process, prior to entering any particular organization, by which people develop expectations and beliefs about particular occupations.

Jablin divided anticipatory socialization into two sequential substages: vocational anticipatory socialization and organizational anticipatory socialization. The first substage refers to accidental and deliberate processes by which a person reduces an initial limitless number of career possibilities to a few realistic choices. Organizational anticipatory socialization is the process by which an individual develops beliefs and expectations about organizations and respective positions for which he or she has applied. Relevant information sources include organizational presentations (annual reports, job advertisements, brochures, job preview materials) and interpersonal interactions (organizational representatives and interviewers, other applicants, current employees, teachers, and other social network ties).

Encounter allows individuals to learn what the organization considers to be acceptable behaviors and attitudes. During metamorphosis, the newcomer becomes an accepted, fully functioning, participating member of the organization by learning and acquiring new attitudes and behaviors or modifying existing ones to be consistent with the organization's expectations. Exit refers to one's disengagement from an organization, including voluntary turnover, layoffs, job transfer, and retirement.

Socialization theory postulates that when individuals are “better” socialized, they enjoy greater job and communication satisfaction and organizational commitment. From a pedagogical point of view, improved socialization for public relations students will mean better prepared and performing practitioners. A prospective public relations student learns about and identifies with the work the profession entails (i.e., vocational anticipatory socialization) and what types of organizations engage in this work and what specific public relations jobs or positions are available (i.e., organizational anticipatory socialization).

Public relations scholars have investigated how students learn about the profession via mass media (e.g., movies, TV shows), talks with peers, friends, and family, and educational institutions (e.g., reading materials, lectures, assignments, extracurricular activities, and academic rationale to guide and justify the practice). More specifically, they learn academic standards, professionalism, and certification, especially through public relations organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America, the Public Relations Student Society of America, the International Association of Business Communicators, and Women in Communication, and participation in public relations organizations, internships, part-time, or other work experiences.

Shannon A. Bo wen (2003) addressed the ill effects of the profession's lax job of anticipatory socialization of students. She found that students hold negative impressions of the field, lack management knowledge, have little understanding about relationships, and have little knowledge about the amount of research necessary to perform public relations, largely owing to mass media's negative portrayals of the profession. She also found that public relations students often confuse it with marketing and advertising, image management, and manipulation. Such misconceptions result from long-term exposure to negative and misleading images portrayed in the news and entertainment media.

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