1. 4.3 Agents of Socialization
I. The Family and Socialization
The child’s first exposure to the world occurs within the family, which is the primary agent of socialization.
-think and speak
-develop a capacity for intimate and personal relationships.
-form some basic attitudes.
II. Socialization in Schools
School creates feelings of loyalty and allegiance to something beyond family.
Our family’s social class shapes what we think of ourselves and how others treat us.
Political views??
Proverbs: it’s not what you know, but who you know.
Schools: under the care and supervision of adults that are not part of your family.
Following directions, time management, learning to cooperate in groups.
Based on performance and not affection.

2. III. Peer Group Socialization
Hidden Curriculum: the informal and unofficial aspects of culture that children are taught in school.
Discipline
Order
Cooperation
Conformity
III. Peer Group Socialization
Peer Group: set of individuals of roughly the same age and interests.
Group in the neighborhood
A clique at school
An after-school club
A sports team
Getting along with groups of people, to make friends outside the family, including the opposite sex.
According to Judith Harris, peers are more important than parents in socializing children. Although many
Sociologists disagree.
Many times we spend more time with our peers.

3. IV. Mass Media and Socialization
Mass Media: Means of communication designed to reach the general population.
Mass media offers children ideas about values in their society.
-achievement and success
-activity and work
-equality and democracy
What about violence in the mass media?
-Are children more violent because of this?
Bo bo doll
Detective, waitress, doctor, judge judy.
A two year old girl died when her older brother, age five, set the house on fire with matches while imitating behavior he had seen on the cartoon program Beavis and Butt-Head.
Bo-Bo doll