Social

Socially Defined Sociologists, social psychologists and educationalists use the term socialization to refer to the learning process of one’s cultural traditions and how to live within that society. It provides the individual the necessary skills and behaviors needed to participating in their communities and society. As for society, it attains social and cultural continuity by inducting the individual members into the norms, values, motives, social roles, language, and symbols of civilization (Kivisto, 2003). Socialization makes humanity. If people were not socialized, they would be like the wild life. Sociologists distinguished socialization into six categories, primary socialization, secondary socialization, developmental socialization, anticipatory socialization, reverse socialization, and re-socialization. At primary socialization, the child learns values, attitudes, and appropriate behaviors as a member of that particular cultural society. If the child sees an adult in their domestic environment, such as a parent or guardian, expressing a discriminatory opinion about a certain person or race, the child may grow up learning that it may be alright to act in that manner, unless learned otherwise. The secondary socialization is the learning process of appropriate actions as a member of the smaller group within the larger community (Ballantine, 2009). This is usually associated with adults and teenagers that involve small changes than those that happen in the primary socialization. An example would be entering a new career or relocating to a new area or community. Developmental socialization is the process in which one learns behavior or develops social skills in a social institution. School or other educational facilities are prime examples. From this process comes anticipatory socialization, which refers to the process when an individual rehearses certain actions and mannerisms for future occupations, positions and social relationships. We all practice on how to court a partner or practice how to interview for a particular job or career. Reverse socialization is deviation of desired behavior. This occurs mostly in teenage kids in professions as counselors, probation officers, social work, and/or psychologists. One of the intense processes of socialization is re-socialization. It is the method of disposing previous behavioral patterns, while accepting new ones as a part of the transitional stage in one's life (Ballantine, 2009). This is an ongoing human cycle of life. The intensity of the process is in the experiences that one goes through to learn this development. The person endures a sharp break with their past and learn to be exposed to different norms and values. An example of this would be joining the military and going away to an entire different society. The basic institution of learning in society is family. Family is the cooperative group of people who are related by a type of kin connection, blood relation, marriage, adoption or any other method where an adult cares for a child. It is considered as the primary group in one’s life. When the norm in society thinks of family, it is a given that there is a father, a mother, and the children. However, history shows there are many different types of families and cultures that can affect a person in many different ways. Sociologists call this the “cereal packet image”. In many countries, there has been a decrease in this typical image of a family (Kivisto, 2003). The behaviors, cultures, and teachings members of one’s family give to a child will steer them in a certain way of behavior. Studies showed that the diversity in families occurred due to the increase in freedom of choice of partners, the instability of family life and the different traditions and customs in the many different cultures that exist. The type of family one has can make a great different in the development of a child, in the process of socialization as the child goes through the early, middle and adult stages.       Another major factor in the development that is learned is identity. Family, culture, and environment factor in to how one’s identity is developed. All the types of socialization have one thing in common. It sets the identity of a person. Gender roles are the most defined by socialization. The role of a person is defined as soon as they are born into the world. Gender is commonly described as the distinction between masculinity and femininity. Anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists state that gender is the acquired social construction of a person (Newman, 2009). This means that gender is formed by the social and culture of the current society. The child is thrown into the stereotypical aspect of what a male and female roles are. The first thing the baby is identified is by the clothes and toys they are given. Pink are for girls and blue are for boys, dolls are for girls and trucks are for boys. The boy is given a baseball and a glove. The girl is given dolls and a dollhouse to play with.   As the child grows, he or she is continued to be identified as to what they should be. Boys are taught to be athletes, protectors, strong, emotionless and the big man of the house. Girls are portrayed as being the soft, comforting, sweet and smart individuals who should behave properly and elegant. All this is what the norm of society sees as to being fit in the average American household (Leon-Guerrero, 2005). Middle childhood to adulthood, better known as teenagers, leads deeper into their specific gender roles. Sons are allowed to roam farther from the home without any type of restrictions or supervision. They are not judged when they get their hands dirty in work and play rougher or even be somewhat destructive. Daughters are imaged as being clean and are expected to act in this prim and proper as they may be this fragile and elegant individuals, as though they should not have any flaw in them such as a piece of jewel. Their goals are set for them from the start. Males strive for freedom, power, leadership and independence, while females learn to be more passive and domesticated and focus on their image (Leon-Guerrero, 2005). In today’s society, many have tried to break those specific roles that are set and expected of them. Woman are more career oriented and in more of power and leadership roles. They have become independent such as single mothers who have high positions in their jobs. Also, men have broken their set roles. They have become more domesticated and stay at home dads as the mother goes out to work. The influence of gender socialization still exist in many cases still. Woman are still seen to be more focused on their image. They are still seen as the ones who let themselves rule with their emotions and are more of the nurturing and comforting person then the male would be. The male is still see to be the protector and the disciplinarian. He’s the tough macho man that should be able protect and provide (Newman, 2009). Socialization is a major influence in the complete life cycle. It sets the roles for a person from start to finish, depending on their gender and culture at hand. Parents, psychologists, other counselors, society and people of society use socialization to influence or convince to be a certain way, to be the social norm. Many are tried to be rehabilitated to change their behavioral patterns when they do not fit into the way they should be. Gender roles, rehabilitation programs, media, parents, therapy and many other methods are all used in every aspect of society, from education department, retail, justice system and many others all use socialization to “set” those that have come out of the set image to steer them back to what is said to be acceptable.       References Ballantine, J. H., & Roberts, K. A. (2009). Our Social World: Condensed Version (Condensed ed ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press. Kivisto, P. J. (2003). Key Ideas in Sociology (Second Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press. Leon-Guerrero, A. (2005). Social Problems: Community, Policy and Social Action (1 ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press. Newman, D. M. (2009). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, Brief Edition. Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press.