Agents of Socialization

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Agents of Socialization

• Madiha Anas
• Lecturer
• Department of Applied Psychology
• School of Social Sciences
• Beaconhouse National University

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• Agents of Socialization
• persons or institutions which influence our
  thoughts and behaviors.

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• Both informal and formal agents are involved in
  the socialization of individuals.
• The family and peers are typical informal agents
  of socialization
• and the school and mass media represent formal
  agents.

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Agents of Socialization
Family
Agents of Socialization from Primary to Secondary
to Adulthood
Preschool/Day care
Schools
Peer Groups
Mass Media
Religion
Organizations
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Polling Question

• Which agent of socialization do you think is the
  most responsible for gender differences in how
  males and females are socialized?
• The family
• Religion
• The peer group
• Education
• Mass media

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Family

• 1st group to have impact on individual
• Give basic sense of self
• most important of the agents of socialization
• responsible for, among other things,
• determining one's attitudes toward religion
• establishing career goals
• help children internalize the norms of the
  society in which they live.
• Provides
• social position
• emotional support
• physical support
• role models

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• Much about the family has changed
•       Decline of the nuclear family
•       Single parent households
•       Divorce
•       Decline of extended family

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Religion

• Influences values, what is right/wrong

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School

• Manifest and latent functions
• transmit knowledge and skills
• agency responsible for socializing groups of
  young people in particular skills and values in
  society

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Peer groups

• Individuals of roughly the same age connected by
  common interests
• who share other social characteristics (e.g.,
  students in a college class).
• Standards of peer groups dominate our lives

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Mass Media

• Types of mass media
• movies, television
• print- magazines and newspapers, books, etc.
• music
• electronic communications

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Mass Media Functions to socialize

• provides information
• contact with others
• viewpoints on issues
• access to consumer culture
• entertainment
• education?

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Internet Addiction

• While we are accustomed to complaints that
  children (or adults) watch too much television, a
  new mass media problem has emerged since 1994-
• Internet Addiction.
• The American Psychiatric Association has
  recognized Internet Addiction Disorder. Some
  indications include
• 1.Tolerance- needing more time online to achieve
  satisfaction.
• 2. Withdrawal symptoms that develop within a few
  days to a month after reducing or stopping use.
  The resumption of use decreases the symptoms.

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• 3. Use of the Internet more often for longer
  periods of time. And spending time on Internet
  related activities (reading books, trying out
  software, etc.)
• 4. Neglect of other important life activities.
• 5. Excessive use impacts negatively on job,
  relationship, or other role obligations.
• Some research has indicated that middle aged
  women and people already prone to depression and
  bipolar disorders are most likely to develop this
  disorder.
• The subject has been studied by psychologists.