SOCIALIZATION: What agents of socialization have had the biggest effect (both positive and negative) on your social development?

SOCIALIZATION
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SOCIALIZATION
Socialization is approached as sociological rather than psychological since it seeks the complexity of the relationship of the different agents of socialization and the way in which we interpret the world around us. Agents of socialization are therefore locations where socialization takes place (Furze, 2012). Socialization is considered a constant learning procedure which is very necessary for us human beings. Through socialization, human beings acquire sense of self and emotions, it shapes our behavior. Without socialization, people would not learn language, symbols, values, and norms of the society their live in.
Agents of socialization that have had a great effect on an individual's socialization process include; family, school, peers and the mass media. Family socialization is a practice by which humans discover and grow to be the mature people they become in life. Effects caused by family socialization are very obvious and lengthy, for some people there is however not much evident outcome; but for others, it seems like there's no affiliation at all. Some adults prefer to take up behaviors and ideals that are entirely contrary to those in their family unit. Intended for such individuals, one may choose to say "Now I comprehend why Edward is that way."
Socialization is very strong and has a different effect. As a child grows and progresses in psychosocial maturity, agents of socialization develop into strong or weak links in their ability for power of influence. In a child's early development, the family is considered a strong agent, and as the kid proceeds to nursery age, the curriculum starts to exert control. When the children reach the school going age, their peers become dynamic socialization agents (Berns, 2013). The first few years in a child's life, school, community, family and peers participate largely in different phases the socialization process in a child such as; their development of trust and independence, tendency to take initiative, their sense of ability and aspiration, relationships with others and reflection on their own lives.
Mass media that includes comic books, radio, newspapers, video games, magazines movies, and most importantly television tends to present a very diverse form of socialization than any other agent, because it does not offer any chance for interaction. Television has an influence on kids from a very tender age therefore affecting their cognitive and social growth. Television is said to be the medium with the most socialization effects on children, outshining all the other media by far in its influence. The very detail that television does not create an interactive aspect for the child is highly significant to the growth of little children. While watching TV most children think that they are interacting but normally they are not. Television may satisfy social desires to some level, but it will not provide children with the social expertise that allows them to function efficiently with people around them (Kornblum, 2008). Research shows that an average child watches Television for 3 to 4 hours hence the time supposed to be set aside for playing with other children and learning social skills is greatly reduced. As this child grows, mass media will have controlled his perception and also influenced his way of thinking which might affect him in his adult life.
When children grow up and stay away from their family attending schools, they form bonds, and friendships begin to emerge through their play and interactions. This brings about peer influence which gradually influences behavior. Researchers have retained that peers have had a stronger influence on people than even that of parents. Progressively, children state to learn that their age mates are able to share their thoughts and attitudes and their perception will affect how they feel about their personal families and cultures. This peer groups mainly serves as an indicator for children probing themselves and their feelings towards their family. (Rubin, 2011)
The functionalism perspective explains the ways in which different groups work as one to create a steady society. A good example is schools and families, socialize children by teaching the same basic rules, way of life and morals. Society is therefore viewed as a peaceful and organizes unit. If it were not for the existence of this perspective, society could be viewed as disjointed and disorganized. It therefore mainly stresses how socialization contributes to a stable society. It is therefore clear that from functionalism, stable and diverse societies ready to share ideas and views on different subjects are created as a result. However certain agents of socialization such as the mass media influences this integration by introducing programs ...