What do you think the agents of socialization are? Warm Up 3/3/14 What do you think the agents of socialization are?

Answer The agents of socialization are: Mass Media Family Peers Government School These are also called social institutions!!!

Socialization A continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position.

The Agents of Socialization (social institutions) Family Most important agent of socialization in most societies. Principal socializer of young children. Deliberate and unintended consequences. Deliberate – a father may teach his son to be honest and trustworthy. Unintended – Father teaches his son to be honest but son sees a time when his father is being dishonest. The child will likely follow what the father does not what he says.

The Agents of Socialization (social institutions) Peer Group Primarily composed of individuals roughly equal to primary persons age. Influential from pre-teen through teenage years. To win acceptance young people willingly adopt the values and standards of those they surround themselves with.

The Agents of Socialization (social institutions) The School Between 5-18 most young people spend and average of 30 hours per week at school. Class activities at schools serve deliberate purposes to teach basic skills such as reading writing and arithmetic. Schools also attempt to transmit cultural values such as responsibility and good citizenship. Unintentional socialization occurs in schools too. Peer groups also influence activities and actions of young people in schools.

The Agents of Socialization (social institutions) Mass Media Mass media are instruments of communication that reach large audiences. Television is the most influential of all mass media agents. Approx 98% of all American homes have a television. Children under the age of 5 average 28 hours a week watching television (approx the same amount of time spent in school!) School age children tend to watch nearly double that amount. (2x the amount of time spent in school)

Activity In your groups read “The function of Fairy Tales” on page 114 of your text book. As a group (I need 1 paper with you groups names and answers) answer questions 1 and 2. You have 20 Mins.

Assignment You are to write a 1 page essay answering the following question: Which agent of socialization do you think is the most important to socializing teenagers in society today?

Exit Slip Define social institution.