Agencies of socialization

Socialization is a process through which individuals are made aware of behaviors that are expected of them with regards to the norms, beliefs, attitudes, and values of the society in which they live.

Socialization helps the individual face the realities of life, through the appreciation of their culture practices. The agencies of socialization are the social institutions that pass on to the people these norms, values, beliefs, and attitudes. There are several agencies of socialization, which are developmental: anticipatory, re-socialization, reverse, primary, and secondary socialization.

However, the main agencies are those regarding primary socialization, which is the process where people learn attitudes, values, and actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture. Secondary socialization agencies are important too. These agencies are responsible for the processes in where individuals learn appropriate behaviors as members of a smaller group within the larger society.

Under the primary agencies are the family, peer groups, and opinion leaders. The family is the most integral part of every individual's upbringing, thus one of the most important agencies of socialization. The family has the power to influence an individual's self-concepts, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors.

Peer groups are made up of people with similar ages and statuses in society. This group also sets the norms and values by which the individual must abide.

Under the secondary agencies of socialization are the work environment, education, mass media, and religion.

The mass media, which serve as the medium of communication, is one of the agencies of socialization. Through the mass media, individuals are able to learn and adopt new lifestyles and behaviors which, at the end, become a convention in society. An example of this is fashion.

Religion is another major agency of socialization, because it embodies the moral principles of society. In this respect, religion has its own set of norms, values, and objectives that regulate the conduct of its members.

In conclusion, it is from these agencies of socialization that we learn how to act in the way that others expect of us in society.