Socialization and Social Stratification

Socialisation is a learning process where people learn and adapt to the appropriate and accepted values, attitudes and behaviours of their society. Nevertheless, separate groups exist within societies for reasons including ethnicity, class and culture and these can bring their own set of ‘norms’. Bond and Bond in Sociology and Social Care (2009 pg28) states “From the cradle to the grave we are being socialised”. Primary socialisation occurs from infancy to early adulthood. Secondary socialisation follows into the later stages of maturity. Anticipatory socialisation is where we learn to anticipate the actions and activities deemed appropriate by society. Resocialisation occurs when we learn new behaviours in response to new situations and in contrast to behaviours previously learnt and accepted. This can happen when someone receives a prison sentence. They must learn the rules deemed appropriate by those in authority and adapt to shared living and expectations of conduct with other inmates. Throughout the stages of life we learn new skills to deal with different situations. This socialisation process occurs as a result of involvement from agents; ‘situations and people involved in the process of imparting shared social ideas, values and skill’(pg30). Agents include family, peer groups, educational structures and the media. We learn through observation, knowledge and experience. Social Stratification is a hierarchically organised system that classifies people according to power, wealth and status. Sociological perspectives such as functionalism and conflict theory view this practice differently. Functionalism thrives on maintaining structures within society and the people that adhere to the rules of those structures. It views social...

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...voice and contributes to the society in which they live.

Works Cited

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Partnership, G. C (2011). Galway City Partnerships Strategic Plan 2011 – 2013. Galway: Galway City Partnership.

Social Justice – a Scotland where everyone matters; Indicators of Pregress 2003. (n.d). Scottish Government, devolved Government Scotland, devolution, Scottish executive, Scottish Office. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/20