1. SOCIALIZATION: TEXTBOOK ASSIGNMENT
THE AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION

2. 1. How many agents of socialization can you name?
BRAINSTORM LIST OF STATEMENTS AS A CLASS
Family
School
Peers
Clubs, social groups
Work
Media
Religion
Government
Geography

3. 2. Family is the most important agent of socialization because…
Family provides initial love and nurturance
Transmission of social and cultural values
Primary source of love and support
First social experiences happen within families

4. 3. Hidden Curriculum…
The “hidden” curriculum means any information or lessons learned through schooling that beyond the official school curriculum
The “hidden” curriculum teaches children to value competition, materialism, work over play, obedience to authority and attentiveness
The potential problem is that success in school may be based more on a students ability to conform to the “hidden” curriculum rather than by mastering formal curriculum

5. 4. Social Norms and Peer Pressure
Individuals must earn acceptance from their peers by conforming to the groups social norms (dress, speech patterns, attitudes)
In other words when we conform to our peers norms we are rewarded by acceptance within the group
Those who do not conform to this form of “peer pressure” may be socially isolated or expelled from the group

6. 5. Children Also Socialize Parents!
Socialization is a 2-way process
Children teach parents about the latest fads, clothing, music and language
Parents may also learn attitudes and behaviors about drug use, sexuality, sports leisure and ethnic issues from their grown children

7. 6. Racial-Ethnic Socialization
Ethnocentrism
Scholars may be hesitant to point out differences in socialization practices among diverse ethnic and social class groupings because such differences have typically been interpreted by others as a sign of inadequate (or inferior) socialization practices

8. 7. Theories of Gender Socialization
Gender socialization: The aspect of socialization that contains specific messages and practices concerning the nature of being male or female in a specific group or society
Eccles, Jacobs and Harold (1990) :Parents may respond differently to boys or girls ex: playing more roughly with boys and talking more lovingly with girls
Seegmiller, Suter and Duviant (1980): less rigid gender stereotypes in high incomer families
Serbin et al (1990): Male oriented toys given to both genders in high income families
Canter and Ageton (1986): Working class families adhere to more rigid gender expectations than middle class families

9. 8. The “Digital Divide”
Digital divide refers to the distinction between those families that can afford a computer and internet access and those who cannot.
A conflict theorist could argue that the internet provides a means for those in positions of affluence to gain access to information that those without the money to cover computer/internet costs don’t have
It could also be a way for powerful people in society to spread ideas/ use media/ make money

10. 9. Socialization is a lifelong process…
You are socialized in infancy and childhood by families
In childhood/ adolescence we are socialized by our peers and other agents such as school and media
Later in adulthood we learn lessons related to socialization in addition to those agents mentioned. Consider work, government and even out children and grandchildren

11. 10. Resocialization Voluntary Resocialization:
When we assume a new status of our own free will (student, employee, retiree, religious conversion, medical or psychological treatment, rehabilitation)
Involuntary Resocialization occurs within a total institution (under the control of officials in isolated conditions). It generally occurs against a person’s wishes and are stripped of their former selves and depersonalized and made to adopt a new set of behaviors( Prisons, military boot camps, concentration camps, some mental hospitals)

12. Culture and Socialization Pandya and Chispa experiment
Objectives:
Students complete a role-play activity and analyze the results.
Students gain skills in observing and describing behaviours.
Students develop an understanding of how our cultural values influence the way we view other groups.