Thought-Provoker: the socialization process

Socialization is the process by which individuals learn to live within their society. Individuals are socialized (i.e., socially educated) to embrace the broader political system and social structures; and take on attitudes, beliefs, worldviews, morals, customs, traditions, norms and behaviors of the society in which they live (i.e., the culture). Socialization then, can also be described as the process of molding individuals to comply with the prescribed culture. Indeed, we are all provided with a life-script to follow, one that prescribes a life of cultural conformity.

Many people either don't see or don't understand the power of the socializing experience that impacts everything they do on a day to day basis. Socialization is a ubiquitous process that works to constrain certain thoughts, beliefs and actions; whilst enabling many other thoughts, beliefs and actions. People don't see this socialization process going on around them everyday because (1) people are motivated to believe they are autonomous, free thinking agents and (2) constant immersion limits capacity to distance oneself from the experience and see it in action.

Broadly, we learn societal expectation through observational learning, imitation or modelling of others, reinforcement and punishment. This is learnt from overarching structures and institutions, formal education, parents, siblings, group-membership, peers and media. From these sources one learns the prescribed attitudes and behaviors demanded by particular social groups, and to conform to them. It should be obvious these sources play a major role in determining our interests (e.g., sporting, entertainment, social, and spending etc.). Therefore, exposure to these socializing agents, manipulates the individual to embrace and take on culturally orthodox views and behaviors. Effective socialization eventually results in internalization and adoption of normative behavior whilst simultaneously reducing the propensity to engage in non-normative behavior.

The power of socialization is particularly evident when contrasting the socializing experiences of the middle class and working class. We see a divergence in attitudes and behaviors created by differing subcultural experience. There are pronounced differences between these socioeconomic groups in regards to type and length of formal education, employment, language use and pronunciation, political leanings, sporting and recreational interests, and general values, to name but a few.