Agents of Socialization

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Agents of Socialization
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What is an Agent of Socialization?

• People
• Groups
• Institutions
• They teach and influence the way in which we
  behave within a society

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Family
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Agent 1 The Family

• The most important of all!
• Develops cognitive (thinking), emotional, and
  physical skill sets
• Teach values (cultural social)
• Main source of emotional support
• Language acquisition, understanding of rules, how
  to interact with others, acceptable behaviour,
  and relationship skills are all learned here

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School
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Agent 2 The School

• Increasingly more and more important
• Rise in single parent/working families
• Fills void left at home
• Provides learning experiences
• Specific knowledge and skills are taught
• Introduces social control
• Extended teaching of culture

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Peer Groups
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Agent 3 Peer Groups

• People linked by interest, social status, age
• Contribute to each others sense of belonging
• Teach and reinforce cultural norms and behaviours
• Create and distribute culture

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Mass Media
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Agent 4 Mass Media

• Large scale organizations
• Use print or electronic means of communication to
  interact with large groups of people
• Provide information
• Introduce different perspectives
• Make us aware of products and services which will
  influence our society
• Entertain us through the experience of others

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Other Agents

• Religion
• Ethnicity
• Work
• Government
• Clubs Social Groups

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What Role Do They Play?

• With a partner choose a society (be creative)
• Outline some agents responsible for successful
  survival in that society
• Example Rugby Team
• Family teaches value of healthy lifestyle
• School teaches how to interact with others
• Peer groups friends play on team
• Mass Media Invictus is huge success
• Religion pray before every game
• Ethnicity during Apartheid, Springboks were
  Whites-only
• Work cant get hurt or will miss work
• Government represent your country at the
  olympics
• Social team hangs out after games

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Homework

• Create a chart with each agent
• Family, School, Peers, Media, Religion,
  Government, Work, Clubs, Ethnicity
• Explain briefly how each of the following agents
  has influenced who you are/ how you see yourself
  within society
• at least one per category