SOCIALISATION PROCESS
4.1 Concept of Socialisation :
Socialisation is a term used by scholars to refer to the lifelong process of inheriting and passing on norms , customs , values and ideologies by providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within its own society . It is the process by which children and adults learn from others . Learning from others starts from the earliest days of life and the majority of people continue social learning throughout their lives . However , some of the most important socialisation occurs in infanthood and childhood . The child performs its unique and effective role in society when it is appropriately socialised .
Socialisation is a term used by sociologists , social psychologists , anthropologists , political scientists and educationalists to refer to the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms , customs and ideologies and providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her own society.
Various sociologists have defined socialisation as follows :
According to JJ Macionis , ” The lifelong process by which an individual becomes a proper member of society and develops human characteristics “.
According to PB Horton and CL Hunt , ” It is a learning process in which groups interact and learn social norms , also developing themselves “.
According to WF Ogburn , ” It is the process of learning the norms of the group and society “.
According to RM Mclver , ” It is the process through which social beings develop relationships and association with each other “.
According to ES Bogardus , ” A process of learning to live and work together is called socialisation “.
On the basis of the above definitions , we can understand that socialisation is a learning process through which an individual adjusts himself in society and fine tunes his role and position in society.
4.1.1 Types of Socialisation :
Socialisation can be divided into two types . These are as follow :
1. Primary This is important for a child because it sets the groundwork for all future socialisation . It occurs when a child learns the attitudes , values and actions appropriate for a member of a particular culture . It is influenced most by the immediate family and friends .
2. Secondary This refers to the process of learning the appropriate behaviour as a member of a smaller group within the larger society which is reinforced by socialising agents of society other than the immediate family .
Secondary socialisation is usually associated with teenagers and adults . It takes place outside home . For instance , schools and colleges require very different behaviour from the home , and children must act according to the rules of school when they are there .
4.1.2 Factors Influencing Socialisation :
1. Social Interaction Interacting socially in the family neighbourhood and schools , as well as with friends , and classmates the community is an organised psychological process characterised by
( i ) Imitation of Others This means copying someone else’s behaviour in our own style which develops a unique aspect of our personality .
( ii ) Suggestion by Others Suggestions may be conveyed through language , pictures or some similar medium to the child . They influence the child’s behaviour with others as well as its own private and individual behaviour .
( iii ) Sympathy This helps the child to empathise with other and helps it to initiate conversation .
2. Identification In its early age , most of the child’s actions are random , natural and unconscious . As the child grows , it realises the nature of things which satisfy its needs . Such things become the object of its identification like the mother , a toy or a picture book . Through identification the child becomes sociable .
3. Language It is the means of cultural transmission and social interaction . At first , the child utters some random syllabus which have no meaning , but gradually it comes to learn its mother – tongue .
Erik Erickson mentioned eight stages of life ( including adulthood ) , in each of which the individual faces a specific crisis on challenge and moves from one stage to the next when the crisis is resolved .
Eight Stages of Life Mentioned by Eric Erickson :
Infancy (Birth to 18 months) (Trust vs Mistrust) (Feeding , love and care) (The parents ‘ nurturing ability and care for the child , due to visual contact and touch is emphasised .) (The child will develop optimism , trust , confidence and security if properly cared for and handled . If a child does not experience trust , it may develop insecurity , worthlessness , and general mistrust to the world .)
Early Childhood ( 18 months to 3 years) (autonomy vs shame) (Control , coordination and toilet training) (The child learns to control and coordinate its muscles , walk , talk , appreciate and understand different gestures and also learns to control its natural processes .) (The child will develop autonomy and sense of independence , if successful . But it feels ashamed if condemned by its parents for doing something wrong .)
Pre – school (3 to 6 years) (Initiative vs Guilt) (Obedience and exploration) (The child becomes a member of the family as a whole and enters school . It learns to obey other adults besides its parents ( e.g. teachers ) , develops a sense of equality with peers , plays games , handles equipment and fits in the new routine of school day .) (The child will develop a sense of purpose if successful , but failure will lead to a feeling of guilt . )
School Age / Later Childhood (6 to 11 years) (Industry vs Inferiority) (Autonomy and skill acquisition ) (The child changes from a dependent person to full autonomous status . Here , it begins to acquire skills through education that will prepare it for adult roles .) (If successful , achievement values develop due to parental emphasis on competence and autonomy for the child to solve problems and succeed on its own . Failure will make the child feel inferior and incompetent .)
Adolescence (11 to 18 years) (Identity vs Role) (Development of values) (This marks the transition from childhood to adulthood . The person experiences many biological changes . Peer groups enormously influence socialisation At this stage , individuals must have a clear idea about their own beliefs and values) (The individual develops conventional values of society and identifies with it , if successful . Failure leads to role confusion .)
Young Adulthood (18 to 35 years) (Intimacy vs Isolation) (Development of relationships) (Individuals seek companionship and love Some also begin to ” settle down ” and start families . They seek deep intimacy and satisfying relationships .) (The individual develops intimacy and satisfying relationships , if successful . Loneliness and isolation may occur if the individual is unsuccessful .)
Middle Adulthood (35 to 65 years) (Generativity VS Stagnation) (Work and family responsibilities ) (Career and work are the most important things at this stage , along with family . this time , people can take on greater responsibilities and control and work to establish stability .) (Success leads to a sense of achievement and of having made a difference to society . 1504 Failure will result in a feeling of stagnation and a feeling of the meaninglessness of life .)
Maturity (65 years to death ) (Integrity vs Despair) (Reflection on life) (The physical and psychological problems associated with menopause get coupled with the sad feeling of departure of the children from home , resulting in discontinuity of roles .
Among men , the transition from active adult status to retirement is often more traumatic , especially if the transition involves a drastic loss in economic status . When this retirement is accompanied by relative poverty and deprivation , older people experience a loss of identity and personal worth .) (Successful people feel a sense of achievement . Failure leads to regret , bitterness and despair .)
Thus , the stages of socialisation show that socialisation is a never ending process , starting with the birth of the child and continues till Beach
4.1.3 Agents of Socialisation :
Socialisation of an individual occurs through its interaction with various agents during its lifetime and these include the family , the peer group , the school , the mass media , among others .
1. The Family This is the primary agent of socialisation for most people , especially in the first five years of their lives . The family provides the child with its first social contact with the world and through it the correct patterns of behaviour are internalised and learnt .
Learning occurs informally and the right / wrong behaviour is approved / rejected through reward and punishment .
2. The School When a child reaches school age , it starts to widen its socialisation cycle . The learning is more formal in school Talents are evaluated on the basis of standards and requirements .
The school helps the child to adapt to the social order , functioning to prepare the stable adult life . The school imparts certain technical and intellectual skills as well as the cultural heritage of society so that the individual is able to integrate into society .
3. The Peer Group Peer group members are usually children of the same age and have similar status . For instance , a child who enters standard one in school and finds itself in a class of children of the same age , might become friendly with only some of them . Yet the whole class constitutes its peer group .
However , as a child grows up , it starts to choose its own peer group based on common interests , activities , similar income level and status . The peer group affects the individual in such issues like appearance , lifestyles , fads and fashion , social activities and dating , drugs , attitude to sex and technology .
4. The Mass Media Mass media transmit information in an impersonal manner which is all the time conducted in a one – way flow . Mass media also harms its audience and receivers because , by concentrating and stressing on certain topics , the media can create , manage and control impressions of what should be seen as real , important and as per norms .
4.1.4 Role of Play in Socialisation :
If children do not play , they cannot develop creativity , which is very important in education . Play is a key element in the process of socialisation of children . As Bruner ( 1975 ) stated , ” Play is … the principal business of childhood . ” Education must take into account the modern problems of children and their understanding of the play process .Currently , the types of play and games are changing . As generations are changing , play is changing too .
4.1.5 Historical Aspects of Play in Socialisation :
Historical artifacts and documents prove that children have been playing since ancient times . Toys have been found in the ruins of ancient China , Egypt , Babylonian and other civilisations . The aspect of play and its value in the socialisation process has been of interest to child psychologists , educators and scientists for generations .
Parten ( 1932 ) identifies the following levels of play as part of the maturation process of children .
1. Solitary Play This means playing without regarding involvement of other children in the room or playground . A child may build a tower with blocks , yet be oblivious to other nearby children .
2. Character Play As the child plays , it observes other children in the same area . Often this child will begin to model its play on another child . After watching another child , it may alter its own play . Even though a child may appear to show little interest , but he is observing others playing .
3. Parallel Play This form of play consists of several children playing with the same materials , but each is playing separately . An example is using puzzles . The child may converse with others , but works independently . If one child leaves the group , the play continues .
4. Associative Play This is play in which a loosely organised game is decided upon . For instance , children may run around the room pretending to be aeroplanes or cars . There are no definite rules or roles . Even if one child decides not to play , the others continue .
5. Cooperative Play This is the form of play in which children assume assigned roles and depend on others for achieving the goals of play . For instance , if children want to play ‘ House ‘ , they need others to participate in the roles of one or more parents and several children . If one of the key players decides to drop out , the play episode will most probably end .
Today , scholars of theories about early childhood education see play as developing well – being , creative thinking skills and cognitive development . As the child plays , all facets of development are developed . Motor , cognitive and socio – emotional development are increased as the child participates in play experiences . As the children engage in play , the need for variety and competence all come into focus .
CHAPTER EXERCISE
1. In the context of education socialisation means
( 1 ) always following social norms
( 2 ) creating one’s own social norms
( 3 ) respecting elders society
( 4 ) adapting and adjusting to social environment
2. Socialisation includes social integration , culture transmission and
( 1 ) providing emotional support
( 2 ) discouragement of rebellion
( 3 ) development of the individual’s personality
( 4 ) fitting individual into society forcefully
3. Peer groups refer to
( 1 ) people of roughly the same age
( 2 ) friends , buddies , pals
( 3 ) family members
( 4 ) All of the above
4. Kritika who does not talk much at home , talks a lot at school . It shows that
( 1 ) the school provides opportunities to children to talk a lot
( 2 ) teachers demand that children should talk a lot at school
( 3 ) she does not like her home at all
( 4 ) her thoughts get acknowledged at schools
5. In the progressive model of education as implemented by CBSE , socialisation of children is done in such a way , so as to expect them to
( 1 ) give up time – consuming social habits and learn how to score good grades
( 2 ) be an active participant in the group work and learn social skills
( 3 ) prepare themselves to conform to the rules and regulations of society without questioning
( 4 ) accept what they are offered by the school irrespective of their social background
6. Which type of nature will you have in your class to increase the process of socialisation ?
( 1 ) Strict
( 2 ) Loving and Sympathetic
( 3 ) Normal
( 4 ) None of the above
7. The feeling of shame and pride develops in stage of
( 1 ) infancy
( 2 ) early childhood
( 3 ) adolescence
( 4 ) adulthood
8. Which of the following is a correct match ?
( 1 ) Middle Adulthood : Trust versus Mistrust
( 2 ) Adolescence : Intimacy versus Isolation
( 3 ) Pre – School : Identity versus Role confusion
( 4 ) Early Childhood : Autonomy versus Shame and doubt
9. Intimate and close friendship is shown in
( 1 ) early childhood
( 2 ) late childhood
( 4 ) young adulthood
( 3 ) adolescence
10. According to Erikson , in which of the following stages in life is an individual able to start assisting in the socialisation of others ?
( 1 ) Stage of industry vs inferiority
( 2 ) Stage of identity vs role
( 3 ) Stage of intimacy vs isolation
( 4 ) Stage of generativity vs stagnation
11. What is regarded as the first age of socialisation in school ?
( 1 ) Infancy
( 2 ) Childhood
( 3 ) Adulthood
( 4 ) Adolescence
12. Out of the following stages of life , when does the most crucial socialisation in a person take place ?
( 1 ) Adulthood
( 2 ) Adolescence
( 3 ) Late childhood
( 4 ) Throughout the life
13. Development of language starts in which stage of Erik Erikson’s HER theory of development ?
( 1 ) Stage one
( 2 ) Stage two
( 3 ) Stage three
( 4 ) Stage four
14. A 13 years old boy quarrels with his elders in most matters and always tries to prove himself right . In which stage of development is he ?
( 1 ) Early childhood
( 2 ) Childhood
( 3 ) Adolescence
( 4 ) Youth
15. Which one of the following is the first source for the socialisation for a child ?
( 1 ) Family
( 2 ) School
( 3 ) Peer group
( 4 ) Temple
16. Which of the following are the agencies of social development of a child ? A. Family C. Teacher B. Peers D. School
( 1 ) C and D
( 2 ) A and D
( 3 ) A , B and C
( 4 ) All of these
17. What nature of classroom will have to increase the process of socialisation ?
( 1 ) Strict
( 2 ) Loving and sympathetic
( 3 ) Normal
( 4 ) None of the above
18. Children’s attitudes towards you persons of ethnic groups different from them are most strongly influenced by the attitudes of
( 1 ) their parents
( 2 ) their peers
( 3 ) the mass media
( 4 ) their siblings
Previous Years Questions
19. In which of the following stages do children become active members of their peer group ?
( 1 ) Adolescence
( 2 ) Adulthood
( 3 ) Early childhood
( 4 ) Childhood
20. In the context of education , socialisation means [ CTET Jan 2012 ]
( 1 ) always following social norms
( 2 ) creating one’s own social norms
( 3 ) respecting elders in society
( 4 ) adapting and adjusting to social environment
21.Which would be the best first theme to start with in a nursery class ? [ CTET Nov 2012 ]
( 1 ) My family
( 2 ) My best friend
( 3 ) My neighbourhood
( 4 ) My school
22. Socialisation is
( 1 ) change in social norms
( 2 ) rapport between teacher and taught
( 3 ) process of modernisation of society
( 4 ) adaptation of social norms
23. Which of the following is a passive agency of socialisation ?
( 1 ) Health club
( 2 ) Family
( 3 ) Eco club
( 4 ) Public library
24. Which one of the following is the primary agent of socialisation ?
( 1 ) Computer
( 2 ) Heredity
( 3 ) Political parties
( 4 ) Family
25. Family plays role in socialisation of the child .
( 1 ) a not – so – important
( 2 ) an exciting
( 3 ) a primary
( 4 ) a secondary
26. Which of the following are secondary agents of socialisation ?
( 1 ) School and neighbourhood
( 2 ) School and immediate family member
( 3 ) Family and relatives
( 4 ) Family and neighbourhood
ANSWERS
1. ( 4 )
2. ( 3 )
3. ( 2 )
4. ( 4 )
5. ( 2 )
6. ( 2 )
7. ( 2 )
8. ( 4 )
9. ( 4 )
10. ( 3 )
11. ( 2 )
12. ( 2 )
13. ( 3 )
14. ( 3 )
15. ( 1 )
16. ( 4 )
17. ( 2 )
18. ( 1 )
19. ( 1 )
20. ( 4 )
21. ( 1 )
22. ( 4 )
23. ( 4 )
24. ( 4 )
25. ( 3 )
26. ( 1 )
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