Agent Of Socialization Essay

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Family, peer group, school, and mass media each have their respective influences on one’s path of socialization, as well as the roles and statuses one takes on. Family is arguably the most important aspect, since it is usually the only agent of socialization during the beginning of your life. However, each agent is vital to shaping and developing who you are as a person. Family establishes which norms you will internalize and establishes your status of daughter, son, brother, mother, etc. A family unit also functions as the environment where you begin to develop a sense of self. It is perhaps the most significant agent because it is often the only social group you are a part of until school age. Parents also play the role of a teacher, teaching …show more content…

Peer groups are seen early in one’s life, such as when children play on playgrounds or interact in daycares. I learned various norms in these types of environments, such as taking turns and sharing. In adolescent years, peer groups become even more influential as teens start to become more independent, often straying away from their family units. For me, I started spending more time with peers than at home, so they were increasingly influential in my life. My peers had the most influence over things like fashion, shows I watch, and music. However, when certain peers began taking part in negative activities such as drinking and partying, I had to switch peer groups or break off friendships. My main peer group right now is everyone at my Jiu Jitsu gym, and my boyfriend. A Jiu Jitsu gym may not be a traditional peer group since there tends to be different ages and classes of people. However, we are all there for the same reason, which this generates an environment where I have made many friends. My gym also influences the norms of respect and hard work, as well as giving me the statuses of athlete, student, and friend. Hopefully, one day I will have the achieved status of world-class …show more content…

School teaches children reading, writing, and arithmetic. Social skills are strengthened via interaction with fellow students. Lastly, kids gain experience with teachers and other authority figures. This is significant because often, these are the first authority figures besides their parents that children interact regularly with. They implement norms such as hand-raising, lining up for food, not talking out of turn, and sharing. For me, school also influenced values such as studiousness and conforming to the goal of becoming a functional and productive member of society. It directly correlated hard work with good grades, and the opposite. It enforced that failure was a result of lack of effort and could be solved by working harder. There is a plethora of roles one can play as a student: learner, advocate, advisor, mentors, etc. I personally always played the role of a learner and mentor to others in need of help. For me, school socialization ended earlier than most people. Since I am not in a physical high-school setting, this agent of socialization has been taken over by others in my life. My family and peer group influence me the most

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