Agents of Socialization

What is an agent of
socialization?
People and groups that influence our
self-concept, emotions, attitudes,
and behavior

Family
Melvin Kohn suggests social class
differences in child raising
Often the main concern of working-class
parents is their childrens outward conformity
(neat, clean, and follow rules) and are more
likely to use physical punishment
Middle class parents show greater concern
for the motivations for their childrens
behavior and parents are more likely to
punish by withdrawing privileges and
affection

Neighborhood
Some neighborhoods are better for
children than others
research shows that children from
poor neighborhoods are more likely
to get in trouble with the law, get
pregnant, drop out of school or end
up disadvantaged

Religion
Religion plays a major role in
socialization of most Americans
70% of Americans belong to a local
congregation and 2 in every 5 Americans
attend a religious service weekly

Religious especially influences morality

but also ideas about dress, speech,
and manners that are appropriate

Day Care
With more mothers working, day care has become
a significant agent of socialization
Research finds that the effects of day care largely
depends on the childs background and quality of
care
Children from poor households or dysfunctional
families appear to benefit from day care
Children in higher quality day care centers interact
better with children and have fewer behavioral
problems

The more hours a child spends in day care, the

weaker the bonds between mothers and children
and the more negative their interactions

School and Peer Groups

In school, children are placed outside the
direct control of the family and learns to
be a part of a peer group
Research by Patricia and Peter Adler
demonstrates how peer groups influence
behavior
For boys, norms that make them popular are:
athletic ability, coolness, and toughness
For girls, norms are: family background, physical
appearance, and the ability to attract boys

Its almost impossible to go against peer

groups; children who do become labeled
as outsiders, nonmembers or outcasts.

Other Agents of
Socialization
Sports- teaching social skills and
values
Workplace- learn a set of skills and a
perspective on the world

Resocialization
What does a woman who has just
become a nun have in common with a
man who has just divorced?
Resocialization is the process of learning
new norms, values, attitudes, and
behaviors to match new situations in life
Occurs each time we learn something that is
contrary to our previous experiences, such
as going to work in a new job

Total institution
Erving Goffman coined the term to refer to a
place where people are cut off from the rest
of society and are under almost total control
of agents of the institution
boot camp, prisons, concentration camps,
convents, some religious cults and some boarding
schools

A person entering the institution is greeted

with a degradation ceremony through which
current identity is stripped away and replaced
Total institutions are effective b/c they isolate
people from outside influences and
information