Socialization: An Overview and Introduction
What is Socialization? It is defined as:
…the continuing process where an individual learns the appropriate
behaviour patterns, skills and values of his or her social world.
Haskings-Winner, Jan et al. Social Science: An Introduction
While the definition is very straight forward, it leads to a wide range of questions.
When does the process of socialization start and/or end? How are ‘appropriate
behavioural patterns’ determined? How are skills and values and measured? In
order to find the answers, we need to realize that while the ‘definition’ is simple,
there are many aspects and layers involved that need to be uncovered.
CATEGORIES OF SOCIALIZATION:
Primary Socialization:
 Teaches individuals the basic skills needed to survive in society

Examples: hygiene, eating with utensils, how to use language, dress
appropriately, etc.
Secondary Socialization:
 Teaches individuals how to act appropriately in group situations

Examples: school and places of worship
Anticipatory Socialization:
 concerned with teaching the individual how to plan ahead behaviour for
new (and often) specific situations

using prior knowledge about certain social situations, individuals
anticipate what would be required (clothing, language, behaviour)

Examples: job interviews, meeting a partner’s family members, etc.
Re-socialization:
 the process by which an individual learns to transform old, sometimes
unacceptable behaviour, into new, socially acceptable behaviour

Example: a criminal released from prison is given the opportunity to
practice new behaviour or a new employee completes a training session
in preparation for a new job
Agents of Socialization:
Family:

A key in PRIMARY SOCIALIZATION

Family meets one’s most basic needs (think Maslow)
http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html

Family introduces individuals to right and wrong, proper and
improper, appropriate and inappropriate

according to the Vanier Institute of the Family, a family is any
combination of 2 or more people who are bound together over time
by ties of mutual consent, birth and/or adoption and who, together,
assume responsibilities for some or all of the following:
o
physical maintenance/care of group members, socialization of
children, social control of members,
production/consumption/distribution of goods and services
and affection
Schools:

A factor of Secondary Socialization

And example of non-family people and institutions that teach an
individual social behaviours and norms

School life becomes increasingly important as children attend full day
classes

Schools transmit knowledge and skills through official curriculum
(content and skills formally taught in classes) and the hidden
curriculum which models certain beliefs and attitudes

To function in groups, students need to internalize and demonstrate
important behaviours (e.g.: punctuality, teamwork, self-reliance,
obedience, etc) which are formally and informally reinforced in
schools
See also for further info:
http://www.sociology.org/lead/553
Peer Group

Also a factor of Secondary Socialization and is especially influential
during adolescence

Helps to develop skills such as communication, collaboration and
compromise, gender, culture, sexuality, etc. (the social curriculum of
schools)

Ideas from the peer group sometimes contradict those of the family
and tend to be very influence by (social) media
See:
http://wps.prenhall.com/ca_ph_macionis_sociology_5/23/6030/1543748.cw/index.html
Workplace

Can influence of both Secondary and Anticipatory Socialization

The workplace becomes an increasingly important agent of
socialization as people come of age

Children first learn about work at home (chores, etc) and parents
and other adults play a very important role shaping the values
and attitudes of children towards work

The education system in Ontario has recognized this by
developing and encouraging students to become engaged in
various co-op opportunities
Media
Can be considered both Secondary and Anticipatory Socialization


Today mass media includes TV and video games, radio, movies,
books of all kinds and the internet

Media can be very influential on children, teens and adults
(consider that media takes kids away from others, playing,
interacting, building social skills, relationships, etc.)

The media sends messages about how to act, what to wear, what
to aspire to, etc. and clearly influences values, beliefs and
behaviours

The influence can be both negative (normalizing violence) and
positive (exposure to various cultures, and providing an outlet for
creativity and expression
Religion

Can influence secondary, anticipatory and sometimes resocialization

While fewer people in Canada are part of organized religions today
than in the past, it continues to be an important agent of
socialization

Most religions have moral codes and often set standards of
behaviour

It can serve to teach/reinforce responsibility and often the
importance of charity

The historical influence of religion is evident in many of our
holidays and cultural traditions
References:
Haskings-Winner, Jan et al. Social Science: An Introduction. 2011. Toronto, McGraw-Hill Ryerson.
Socialization: An Overview and Introduction
TASK #1
Review the information on KINDS and AGENTS of socialization and complete the
following. You may respond in point form or in sentences/paragraphs, but be
thoughtful and provide examples when possible.
1. Identify the 3 most important ways your family influenced your
primary socialization.
i)
ii)
iii)
2. At this point in your life, identify which agent of socialization has the
most influence on your daily life. Provide 3 reasons why.
Most influential agent:
Reason 1:
Reason 2:
Reason 3:
3. Explain how social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter
(and/or other social networking sites) can be considered (a) an
example of secondary socialization and (b) an example of
anticipatory socialization.
(a) Secondary Socialization:
(b) Anticipatory Socialization:
4. Identify one example of school’s ‘official curriculum’ and one
example of a schools ‘hidden curriculum’. Which do you think is
more important? Why?
Official Curriculum Example:
Hidden Curriculum Example:
Most Important kind of Curriculum? Why?
5. Identify and briefly explain a situation when resocializaiton would be
necessary.
Situation:
Why Resocialization: