Socialization

Socialization is the term used by psychologists to describe how new members of a group are assisted by more experienced group members to internalize, and thereby act in accord with, the values, attitudes, beliefs, and actions of that group. The term assist is important because socialization involves more than just the transmission of values and attitudes; individuals also construct their own values by altering the group’s positions or by being selective in their choice of which values to accept and which to reject. The term internalization is also important because it means that values and standards are adhered to for intrinsic reasons rather than being adopted due to external pressures. Finally, the products of socialization—values, beliefs, actions, and so on—comprise a wide variety of social behaviors, emotions, and cognitions. In the case of children in the family, who are being socialized to become members of society at large, socialization includes learning how to regulate or control emotions such as distress and anger, how to behave in socially competent ways and get along with others, how to act in ways that not only do not harm others but that help them appropriately, how to understand the perspective of others, and how to be reasonably happy and content.

Socialization occurs throughout the life span, and children undergo extensive socialization in the family over many years. As well, children are socialized outside the family by teachers and peers. When children are old enough to care for themselves, parents become less directly influential; however, parental influence is replaced by a new set of socialization experiences that happen when individuals become responsible for their own actions, such as when they develop romantic relationships, and when they learn values and ways of acting that are appropriate for their workplace. When they have their own children, adults have to learn how to be effective agents of socialization. Finally, old age brings with it its own set of socialization experiences and challenges as the realization of mortality comes closer.

Most research on socialization has been conducted with parents and children. This is the case for a number of reasons. First, the family is where the most basic socialization takes place over the longest period of time. Moreover, it is parents who have the greatest control over their children and, therefore, the greatest opportunities to influence their behavior. Understanding early socialization processes has practical significance as well because parents are responsible (legally as well as practically) for socializing their children and, when early socialization fails, the repercussions for the child and society are serious. Finally, it is in childhood that the broadest socialization occurs, taking in a very wide range of outcomes. Later on, the values and behaviors that are socialized are more narrowly focused.

[Page 2104]This entry continues with a summary of research on socialization from infancy to the end of adolescence, addressing the role of parents but also, briefly, that of siblings, peers, and teachers. This entry then goes on to consider socialization, as it occurs throughout the rest of the life span—leaving home, entering the work force, taking on the responsibilities of marriage and child-rearing, and reaching old age, noting that many of the mechanisms of socialization that are operating during childhood also operate at later ages.

...