The Process of Socialization

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How does the socialization process simultaneously create both the individual and the institution? Children are born into this world without any form of a sociological culture. They go through a sociological developmental process in, which parents, teachers, and other influences, transform them into socially proficient individuals. What is socialization? Socialization is how people teach others how to interact with their group. As an individual becomes socialized so they also create a socialized institution. Socialization is a process we learn and reflects upon our behaviors, and it is the way of adapting to what is considered to be appropriate based on the society which we live. In the same sense a child is nothing more than a puppet, which needs to be taken out into their society to learn what the society deems as acceptable or appropriate, and what is not. In Sociology we call this acceptance, “norms”. How the individual reacts to those norms, which are established, help them to begin to reproduce their own set of norms. There are three types of norms; folkways, mores, and taboos. Folkways are the customs and practices that promote a smooth interaction amongst members of society. Folkways are a loosely enforced set of conduct. Mores are the norms that are key, to essential values. Mores have serious and formal repercussions. The third type of norms is taboos. Taboos are severely deep-rooted mores and are enforced forcefully. The very thought of violating a taboo evokes horror or revulsion. When someone becomes socialized they become a reflection of their environment, and their environment is a reflection upon themselves. Also when someone becomes socialized they are taught the roles everyone around them plays, also they becom... ... middle of paper ... ...hesive unit and an experienced solder. The objective of the military is to create a single unit; this is done by removing the identity the recruit previously had. Giving standardized haircuts, wearing the same uniform, and humiliating them makes them into a unified unit. The norms and expectations of the military are also quite different from the typical society. To answer the question, “how the socialization process simultaneously creates both the individual and the institution?” Socialization is how people teach others how to interact with their group. The two processes of socialization, the “looking-glass self”, and the “Generalized Other”, are two theories how someone becomes who they are, and in terms creates an institution. Works Cited Ferris, Kerry, and Jill Stein. The Real World: an Introduction to Sociology. New York: W.W. Norton, 2008. Print.

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