Socialization

3.1. Introduction

This unit describes the meaning, definitions, stages and agencies of socialization. This unit
also shifts the focus from the study of socialization to social stratification and social
mobility. It describes the meaning, definitions and characteristics of social stratification. It
also describes different forms and theories of social stratification. Then this unit also shifts
its focus from social stratification and social mobility to social processes and describes
meaning, definitions and elements of social processes and its different forms.

3.2. Socialization: An introduction

Man is a social animal. At birth, an individual is a biological being. At the time of birth, the
human infant can neither speak nor walk nor recognize anything. As it grows, it recognizes
others and gradually learns to move, walk and talk. It can learn all these only through support
of his fellow being. His inner self is developed by the socio-cultural environment such as,
parents, the family and the kinship group and so on. Within these groups and socio-cultural
environment that the biological being is transformed into a social animal. He is gradually
moulded into a social being and learns social ways of acting and doing things. This process of
learning and moulding that takes place in a group situation or socio-cultural environment is
called socialization. Development of the individuals’ socio-cultural aspects through the process
of gradual learning is called socialization.

3.2.1. Meaning & Definition

Socialization is a lifelong process which is comprehensive in nature. It begins at birth and ends
in death. It is a process of transformation of the human infant from a biological animal into a
social individual. It is a process of initiating the new born into the society. It prepares him to fit
in the group and to perform the social roles. Socialization makes him responsive to society. It
moulds him into a social being and his fulfillment in society. Through this process, individuals
come to acquire the quality of sociality. The process by which individual internalizes roles,
values, personality types and social skills from birth till old age is called socialization. The
individuals’ self develops through socialization. Through it individual becomes a social person
and develops personality. The cultural patterns of society or group get internalized in the child.
Through socialization society wants to mould human infants according to its accepted structure.
It develops a potential within individual to live with others. The process of learning by
interacting with others is referred to as socialization. This process operated at two levels i.e.
within the individual and other from outside.

1. According to Ogburn, “Socialization is the process by which the individual learns to

conform to the norms of the group’.

2. According to A.W. Green, “Socialization is the process by which the child acquires a
cultural content, along with self hood and personality.”

3. According to Horton and Hunt, “Socialization is the process whereby one internalizes
the norms of his groups, so that a distinct self emerges, unique to this individual”.

4. According to H. T. Mazumdar, “Socialization is the process whereby original nature is

transformed into human nature and the individual into person”.

5. According to Gillin and Gillin, “By the term` socialization’ we mean the process by which
individual develops into a functioning member of the group according to its standards,
conforming to its modes, observing its traditions and adjusting himself to the social
situations”.

6. E.A. Ross defined socialization as “the development of we-feeling in associates and their
growth in capacity and will to act together”.

7. According to G.A. Lundberg, Socialization consists of the “complex processes of

interaction through which the individual learns the habits, skills, beliefs and standards of
judgment that are necessary for his effective participation in social group and
communities”.
 8. Rose and Glazer have defined socialization as the process of learning of beliefs, values,
patterns and social roles of society and culture’.

9. Goode holds that “Socialization includes all those processes through which an individual
internalizes social skills, roles, patterns, values and personality types from childhood till
old age”.

Thus, from the above definitions, it can be summed up that socialization is

the process of learning group habits, ideals and norms. The social order is maintained mainly by
socialization. But socialization should not be confused with maturation which refers to a
physical and chemical process of development over which man has little control. But
socialization is a lifelong process of learning.

3.2.2. Elements of socialization

Socialization has the following elements.

1. A complex process of interaction.

2. A process of learning.

3. A process of internalization and reception.

4. A process of transformation.

5. A life-long process.

6. Role of parents.

7. Physical and psychological heritage of the individual.

8. Experience of the individual.

9. The environment in which individual is born.

3.2.3. Process of socialization

Socialization is a life long process. It starts even long before the birth of a child. But direct
socialization begins only after birth of the child. Socialization is a learning process by which a
new born baby learns to conform to the norms of the group. Besides being a learning process it
is a process of internalization and reception. It is a process of moulding without which society
could not exist. It helps in maintaining social order. There are certain things like reflexes,
instincts, urges and capacities which help or limit the process of socialization. As a process of
learning socialization have four factors such as imitation, suggestion, identification and
language. Imitation means copying action of others. Through it the child learns social behavior.
Hence, imitation is considered as an important factor in the process of socialization. As a
process, suggestion influences behavior. Through the process of identification individual
become sociable. As a medium of social intercourse, language moulds personality of an
individual.

3.2.4. Stages of socialization

Socialization is a continuous and life long process. The role of socialization is very important in
individual life as his self and personality develops through it. But it is said that socialization
process starts long before the birth of a child. The social and cultural circumstance preceding
his birth greatly influences his growth but direct socialization begins only after birth. After birth
individual life passes through different stages. During these different stages of his life individual
comes into contact with different people, groups and institutions. During this process of
contacts at different stages individual learns many things which helps him. However, these
different stages of socialization are

 Infant socialization: It is the first stage of socialization. After birth the infant first comes
into contact with the mother, then the father and then the other members of the
family. During infancy the infants’ socio-cultural environment is very limited. Generally
up to the age of three or four the infant world is limited to the family. Hence, during
infancy stage family is the main source of socialization. Here, the infant learns to utter
word, learns to work, eat and comes in contact with other family members. Gradually
his self develops. Here he comes to understand relationships with other members of
family.
 Child Socialization: It is the second stage of socialization. During this stage, the infant
comes into contact with the members outside family and neighbors. He gradually
disassociates himself from parents and other family members. Then he got admitted to
school and come into contact with schoolmates and teachers and his behavior is greatly
influenced by them up to fifteen years. During this stage the child is also influenced by
things what he learnt from books and story books. Interaction with peers and teachers
greatly influences his behavior.
 Adolescent Socialization: It is the third stage of socialization in the life of an individual.
During this stage school mates, friends, teachers, sports, books and means of recreation
matter the most to the child. This is true in case of school going children. But the
process of socialization differs in rural, urban and tribal areas. In tribal and rural areas
 life is very close with nature from where the child learns many things about nature,
seasons, folk traditions etc. In tribal areas the adolescents learns a lot in course of their
living in dormitories and forest. Agents of socialization of this period differ from earlier
period.
 Adult Socialization: It is the fourth stage of socialization process. After adolescent stage
the individual reaches at adulthood. An adult is a responsible person and do not depend
on others. An adult is associated with some other professions or trades. His circle of
friendship increases. During this stage an individual is greatly influenced by his
education, occupation, circle of friends etc. Because of this wider circle agents of
socialization are also more. This stage is very important as the adult adopts many roles.

3.2.5. Agents of socialization

No doubt, socialization is very important both for individual and society. The process is
operative throughout life incessantly. Socialization is an interactional process whereby a
persons’ behavior is modified to conform to expectations held by members of the groups to
which he belongs. Its’ importance is well understood in the life of man. As socialization is an
important matter in society, hence it should not be left to mere chance rather should be
managed through institutional channels. Hence, it is very important to know who socializes
individual. During different stages of his life the individual comes in to contact with different
groups, institutions and individuals from whom he learns a lot and socializes him. Some of the
agents or agencies of socialization are mentioned below.

1. The Family: Parents along with family play an important role in the process of
socialization. The child first comes into contact with parents and family. They are
physically and emotionally close to the child. He learns language and speech from
parents and family. Family teaches him societal morality. He learns many civic virtues
from family. He learns his first lesson in love, affection, cooperation, self-sacrifice and
tolerance from family. Family moulds his character, nature and personality. An
individual is known by his family. Family inculcates right attitude, beliefs and values
among individuals. Family continues to exercise influence on him throughout his life.

2. The School: It is the second important agency of socialization. During the age group of
three to five the child enters into school. Interaction with classmates and teachers in
school is very important in child socialization. In adolescent socialization stage also the
school, classmates, friends, sports and books matter more to the child. In the school the
child gets his education and learns many more which moulds his ideas, attitudes and
personality. Education is very vital in the process of socialization. A good school and its’
healthy atmosphere plays an important role in making the child a good citizen. A well
 planned school system and a good system of education can produce good socialized
persons. It is said that, the school laid the foundation of sociality in a person.

3. Peer Group: Next to family and the school, friends and peer groups are another
important agency of socialization. During different stages of his life an individual comes
into contact with different kinds of friends from whom he learns a lot. The relation
between the individual and his friends is one of equality and is based on mutual
cooperation and understanding. He learns from them many such things which he cannot
learn from other agencies. It is said that a person is known from the friends he keeps.
This shows the importance of friends and peers in one’s life.

4. Religion: Religion is another important authoritative agency of socialization. As an

earliest social institution religion has been influencing human life since long by
imparting beliefs and patterns of behavior. Religion plays an important role in the life of
an individual. Religion not only exercises control over individual behavior but also
socializes him from the very beginning. Religion socializes individuals as per the norms
of society and by inculcating different values. It continues to mould beliefs, attitudes
and personality of individuals in society. Religious sermons and preaching shape the
ideas of individual in society and develops philanthropic attitudes among people and
thereby brings social cohesion and social solidarity

5. The state: As an authoritarian agency of socialization the state not only makes laws for
the people but also guides their conduct and moulds their personality. It forces people
to obey laws and gives punishment to those who violates it. It socializes individual by
prescribing modes of behavior. State has the right to use legal force. State develops its’
education system and thereby socializes the child.